Austria vs Palau
Crypto regulation comparison
Austria
Palau
Legal
Legal
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.
Palau has explored blockchain technology and launched a stablecoin program in partnership with Ripple. No income or capital gains tax.
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Type
No tax
Tax Rate
27.5%
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
FMA (Finanzmarktaufsicht)
Regulator
Financial Institutions Commission
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
- Exploring national stablecoin in partnership with Ripple
- No income or capital gains tax
- Uses the US dollar as official currency
- Small but forward-looking approach to digital assets
- Limited domestic crypto infrastructure