Bangladesh vs Botswana
Crypto regulation comparison
Bangladesh
Botswana
Banned
Legal
Bangladesh effectively bans cryptocurrency. Bangladesh Bank issued warnings in 2017 citing anti-money laundering laws, and the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947 prohibits unapproved digital currency transactions. Violations can result in imprisonment up to 12 years.
Botswana passed the Virtual Assets Act in 2022, first African country to issue crypto licenses. NBFIRA supervises VASPs. 4 licensed entities as of 2024. Penalties up to P250,000 or 5 years imprisonment.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Bangladesh Bank
Regulator
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA)
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; all crypto transactions are prohibited
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- Bangladesh Bank issued a 2017 notice warning against crypto transactions
- Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947 used to prohibit crypto dealings
- Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 applies to crypto-related activities
- Penalties can include up to 10 years imprisonment and fines up to 3 million BDT
- Despite the ban, some peer-to-peer trading occurs underground
Key Points
- Virtual Assets Act enacted in 2022, effective Feb 22, 2022
- First African country to issue crypto licenses via NBFIRA
- 4 licensed VASPs as of December 2024
- Bank of Botswana assesses domestic crypto risks as minimal
- Unregistered crypto dealers face fines up to P250,000 or imprisonment