Bhutan vs Malaysia
Crypto regulation comparison
Bhutan
Malaysia
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 and regulated in Malaysia. The Securities Commission oversees digital asset exchanges (DAX) and initial exchange offerings under the Capital Markets and Services (Prescription of Securities) Order 2019. Only SC-approved exchanges can operate. Malaysia does not impose capital gains tax on crypto for individuals, though frequent trading may be classified as business income.
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
- Digital asset exchanges must be registered and approved by the Securities Commission
- Only approved tokens can be listed on registered exchanges (e.g., BTC, ETH, XRP on approved list)
- No capital gains tax for individuals; frequent trading may be treated as business income
- BNM regulates crypto for AML/CFT purposes under the Anti-Money Laundering Act
- IEOs must be conducted through SC-approved platforms