United Arab Emirates vs North Korea
Crypto regulation comparison
United Arab Emirates
North Korea
Legal
Banned
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.
North Korea does not allow civilian cryptocurrency use. The regime has been accused by the UN and US of using state-sponsored hacking to steal cryptocurrency to fund weapons programs.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
0%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
VARA (Dubai), ADGM/FSRA (Abu Dhabi), SCA (Federal), CBUAE
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Stablecoin Rules
VARA regulates stablecoins in Dubai; ADGM has separate framework
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
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 civilian cryptocurrency use permitted
- State-sponsored crypto theft alleged by UN and US
- Lazarus Group linked to major crypto exchange hacks
- International sanctions restrict all financial activities
- Cryptocurrency used by state actors, not civilians