Bhutan vs Italy
Crypto regulation comparison
Bhutan
Italy
Legal
Legal
Bhutan has quietly become a significant Bitcoin miner through its government investment arm, Druk Holding & Investments, leveraging hydroelectric power. No tax on crypto.
Cryptocurrency is legal in Italy with a 26% capital gains tax on crypto profits exceeding €2,000 per year. VASPs must register with the OAM (Agents and Mediators Register). Italy was one of the first EU countries to require VASP registration and has aligned with MiCA.
Tax Type
No tax
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Rate
0%
Tax Rate
26%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan
Regulator
OAM (Organismo Agenti e Mediatori), Consob, Banca d'Italia
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework
Key Points
- Government entity Druk Holding & Investments mines Bitcoin
- Hydroelectric power used for mining operations
- No income or capital gains tax in Bhutan
- Royal Monetary Authority provides oversight
- One of the few countries with state-level crypto mining operations
Key Points
- 26% substitute tax on crypto capital gains exceeding €2,000 per year (since 2023 budget law)
- Italian government proposed raising crypto tax to 42% for 2025 but this was reduced back to 26%
- VASPs must register with OAM and comply with AML requirements
- Crypto holdings above €51,645.69 were previously the threshold; new regime simplified this
- MiCA framework applicable from December 2024