Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Crypto regulation comparison
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Banned
Restricted
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.
Sri Lanka has no specific cryptocurrency legislation. The CBSL has issued multiple warnings (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) about crypto risks and has not authorized any entity to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services. Use of debit/credit cards for crypto is prohibited under the Foreign Exchange Act. The SEC has been discussed as a potential future regulator.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
No
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Bangladesh Bank
Regulator
Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Securities and Exchange Commission
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
- CBSL has issued repeated warnings about crypto risks (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- No entity authorized to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services
- Use of debit/credit cards for crypto prohibited under Foreign Exchange Act
- CBSL requested criminal proceedings against crypto pyramid schemes
- SEC discussed as potential future regulatory authority for digital assets