Botswana vs Norway
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Norway
Legal
Legal
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.
Cryptocurrency is legal in Norway and regulated by Finanstilsynet. Norway taxes crypto capital gains at 22% and includes crypto holdings in the annual wealth tax calculation (net wealth above NOK 1.7M taxed at ~1.1%). VASPs must register with Finanstilsynet. Norway is an EEA member and aligning with MiCA through the EEA agreement.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Wealth and capital gains
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
22% (gains) + 1.1% (wealth)
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA)
Regulator
Finanstilsynet (Financial Supervisory Authority)
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; general financial rules apply
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 capital gains taxed at 22% flat rate
- Crypto included in wealth tax base (~1.1% on net wealth above threshold)
- VASPs must register with Finanstilsynet and comply with AML/CFT requirements
- Norway is a major crypto mining hub due to cheap hydroelectric power
- EEA member; MiCA implementation expected through EEA Agreement adaptation