Austria vs Ecuador
Crypto regulation comparison
Austria
Ecuador
Legal
Partially Regulated
Cryptocurrency is legal in Austria and regulated under the EU's MiCA framework. Since March 2022, crypto assets are taxed at a flat 27.5% rate on capital gains, aligned with other investment income. The FMA supervises crypto service providers.
Ecuador has a complex relationship with cryptocurrency. A 2014 National Assembly resolution banned Bitcoin as legal tender, and the Central Bank prohibits financial institutions from dealing in crypto. However, private ownership and trading of crypto are not explicitly illegal, and peer-to-peer usage exists.
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
27.5%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
FMA (Finanzmarktaufsicht)
Regulator
Banco Central del Ecuador, Superintendencia de Bancos
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- Flat 27.5% tax on crypto capital gains since the 2022 eco-social tax reform
- Crypto held before February 28, 2021 is subject to legacy rules (tax-free after 1 year)
- FMA regulates VASPs under Austrian and EU law including MiCA
- Exchanges must register and comply with AML/KYC obligations under FM-GwG
- MiCA framework fully applicable from December 2024
Key Points
- 2014 resolution prohibits crypto from being used as legal tender
- Central Bank bans financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions
- Private ownership and P2P trading exist in a legal gray area
- Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency, limiting monetary policy tools
- No comprehensive crypto regulatory framework in place