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United Arab Emirates vs Pakistan

Crypto regulation comparison

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

United Arab Emirates

Pakistan

Pakistan

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.

Pakistan has a hostile regulatory environment for cryptocurrency. The State Bank of Pakistan has prohibited financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions, and the government has considered outright bans. Despite this, Pakistan has high informal crypto adoption, ranking among the top countries for P2P crypto volume. The SECP has explored blockchain regulation but no licensing framework exists for exchanges.

Tax Type None
Tax Type None
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 SBP (State Bank of Pakistan), SECP
Stablecoin Rules VARA regulates stablecoins in Dubai; ADGM has separate framework
Stablecoin Rules No regulation; SBP has not authorized any crypto activities
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
  • SBP prohibits banks and financial institutions from processing crypto transactions
  • No licensing framework for crypto exchanges; operating informally is risky
  • High P2P crypto adoption despite regulatory hostility
  • Government has considered formal banning legislation multiple times
  • SECP has explored digital asset regulation but no framework enacted
Sources
Sources