Austria vs Qatar
Crypto regulation comparison
Austria
Qatar
Legal
Restricted
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.
Qatar has a restrictive stance on cryptocurrency. The Qatar Central Bank banned crypto trading and services in 2018, and the QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) prohibits virtual asset services within the Qatar Financial Centre. However, Qatar has shown interest in blockchain technology for non-crypto applications and is exploring a potential CBDC. The Qatar Financial Centre issued a Digital Assets Framework in 2024 focused on tokenized real-world assets, not cryptocurrencies.
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
27.5%
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
FMA (Finanzmarktaufsicht)
Regulator
QCB (Qatar Central Bank), QFCRA
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework
Stablecoin Rules
Not permitted under current QCB regulations
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
- QFCRA prohibited authorized firms from providing virtual asset services (2019 alert, reaffirmed 2024)
- QFCRA prohibits virtual asset services within the Qatar Financial Centre
- QFC introduced a 2024 Digital Assets Framework for tokenized securities (not crypto)
- No personal income or capital gains tax in Qatar (but crypto trading is banned)
- Qatar exploring blockchain and CBDC applications separate from crypto