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United Arab Emirates vs Panama

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | United Arab Emirates | Panama
United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Panama

Panama

Legal
Legal

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.

Panama passed Law 129 in 2024 regulating crypto assets, virtual asset service providers, and tokenized securities. Panama has no capital gains tax on foreign-sourced or investment income, making it attractive for crypto investors. The law provides a regulatory framework for exchanges and establishes AML/KYC obligations for VASPs.

Tax Type None
Tax Type None
Tax Rate 0%
Tax Rate 0%
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator VARA (Dubai), ADGM/FSRA (Abu Dhabi), SCA (Federal), CBUAE
Regulator SBP (Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá), SMV
Stablecoin Rules VARA regulates stablecoins in Dubai; ADGM has separate framework
Stablecoin Rules No specific 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
  • Law 129 (2024) regulates crypto assets and VASPs in Panama
  • No capital gains tax on investment or foreign-sourced income (territorial tax system)
  • VASPs must comply with AML/KYC requirements under the new framework
  • Crypto payments for commercial transactions are permitted
  • Panama's territorial tax system means crypto gains from international trading are untaxed
Sources
Sources