United Arab Emirates vs Dominican Republic
Crypto regulation comparison
United Arab Emirates
Dominican Republic
The UAE has become a global crypto hub with multiple regulatory frameworks. Dubai's VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority), established in 2022, is the world's first dedicated crypto regulator and licenses exchanges, brokers, and other VASPs. Abu Dhabi's ADGM regulates crypto through the FSRA. The federal SCA also oversees crypto at the national level. The UAE has no personal income or capital gains tax. Major global exchanges (Binance, Bybit, OKX, Crypto.com) have obtained UAE licenses.
The Dominican Republic has no specific cryptocurrency legislation. The central bank (BCRD) issued statements in 2017 and 2021 warning that crypto is not legal tender and prohibiting regulated financial institutions from dealing in digital assets under Monetary Law No. 183-02. Individual use is not criminalized but operates in a restricted gray area.
Key Points
- VARA (Dubai) — world's first standalone virtual asset regulator; comprehensive licensing framework
- ADGM/FSRA (Abu Dhabi) — separate regulatory framework for digital assets in the financial free zone
- No personal income tax or capital gains tax in the UAE
- 9% corporate tax (from 2023) may apply to crypto businesses but not individual investors
- Major exchanges licensed: Binance, Bybit, OKX, Crypto.com, BitOasis
Key Points
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation exists
- BCRD prohibits regulated financial institutions from dealing in crypto
- Crypto is not recognized as legal tender
- No licensing framework for crypto exchanges
- Crypto gains treated as taxable income when converted to Dominican pesos