Botswana vs Myanmar
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Myanmar
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.
Myanmar's Central Bank issued Notification No. 9/2020 prohibiting the sale, purchase, and exchange of unregulated digital currencies. Violations are prosecuted under the Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law with penalties including imprisonment and fines. Despite the ban, underground stablecoin usage persists, particularly USDT.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
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
Central Bank of Myanmar
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
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
- CBM Notification No. 9/2020 prohibits sale, purchase, and exchange of digital currencies
- Violations prosecuted under Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law
- Financial institutions banned from dealing in digital currencies
- CBM is exploring a central bank digital currency (digital kyat)
- Underground stablecoin (USDT) usage persists despite ban
