Botswana vs Iraq
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Iraq
Legal
Banned
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.
Iraq has banned cryptocurrency dealings. The Central Bank of Iraq issued a directive in 2017 prohibiting banks, financial institutions, and exchange companies from dealing in cryptocurrency. Despite the ban, some underground and peer-to-peer crypto trading reportedly persists.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA)
Regulator
CBI (Central Bank of Iraq)
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; crypto activities prohibited
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
Key Points
- CBI banned all crypto dealings by financial institutions in 2017
- Exchange companies are prohibited from handling cryptocurrency
- No regulatory framework for crypto businesses
- Underground and P2P crypto trading reportedly exists despite the ban
- The ban is motivated by AML concerns and financial stability considerations
