Botswana vs Iran
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Iran
Legal
Restricted
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.
Iran has a complex stance on cryptocurrency. Crypto mining is legal and licensed by the Ministry of Industry, but using crypto for domestic payments is banned by the CBI. The government has explored using crypto for international trade to circumvent sanctions. Mining operations are periodically shut down during energy shortages.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA)
Regulator
CBI (Central Bank of Iran), Ministry of Industry
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; crypto payments and trading domestically restricted
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
- Crypto mining is legal and licensed by the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade
- CBI bans using crypto as a domestic payment method
- Licensed miners must sell mined crypto to the CBI or authorized exporters
- Government has explored crypto for sanctions evasion in international trade
- Mining farms periodically shut down during summer/winter energy demand peaks