Andorra vs Saudi Arabia
Crypto regulation comparison
Andorra
Saudi Arabia
Andorra enacted the Digital Assets Act (Law 24/2022) providing a comprehensive framework for crypto. The AFA licenses exchanges, custodians, and stablecoin issuers. Aligning with EU MiCA.
Saudi Arabia has an ambiguous but generally restrictive approach to cryptocurrency. SAMA has not licensed any crypto exchanges, and financial institutions are warned against dealing in crypto. However, crypto is not explicitly banned by law, and Saudi Arabia has participated in blockchain initiatives (Project Aber with the UAE central bank). No personal income or capital gains tax exists in Saudi Arabia.
Key Points
- Digital Assets Act (Law 24/2022) effective Oct 2022
- AFA licenses and regulates all digital asset service providers
- Three categories of stablecoins with specific licensing requirements
- Low electricity costs make mining attractive
- Aligning regulations with EU MiCA framework
Key Points
- SAMA has not authorized or licensed any cryptocurrency exchanges
- Financial institutions warned against crypto transactions
- Crypto not explicitly banned but not regulated; exists in a legal gray area
- No personal income or capital gains tax in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia participated in CBDC experiments (Project Aber with UAE)