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United Arab Emirates vs Sri Lanka

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | United Arab Emirates | Sri Lanka
United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Legal
Restricted

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.

Sri Lanka has no specific cryptocurrency legislation. The CBSL has issued multiple warnings (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) about crypto risks and has not authorized any entity to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services. Use of debit/credit cards for crypto is prohibited under the Foreign Exchange Act. The SEC has been discussed as a potential future regulator.

Tax Type None
Tax Type Unclear
Tax Rate 0%
Tax Rate N/A
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges No No
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator VARA (Dubai), ADGM/FSRA (Abu Dhabi), SCA (Federal), CBUAE
Regulator Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Securities and Exchange Commission
Stablecoin Rules VARA regulates stablecoins in Dubai; ADGM has separate framework
Stablecoin Rules No stablecoin regulation
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
  • CBSL has issued repeated warnings about crypto risks (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023)
  • No entity authorized to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services
  • Use of debit/credit cards for crypto prohibited under Foreign Exchange Act
  • CBSL requested criminal proceedings against crypto pyramid schemes
  • SEC discussed as potential future regulatory authority for digital assets
Sources
Sources