Austria vs Tonga
Crypto regulation comparison
Austria
Tonga
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.
Tonga has no specific cryptocurrency regulation. There has been legislative interest in adopting Bitcoin as legal tender but no legislation has been enacted.
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
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- Legislative interest in Bitcoin legal tender discussed
- National Reserve Bank provides monetary oversight
- Limited crypto infrastructure
- No licensing framework for crypto services