Botswana vs Timor-Leste
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Timor-Leste
Legal
No Regulation
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.
Timor-Leste has no specific cryptocurrency regulation. Uses the US dollar as its official currency.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA)
Regulator
Banco Central de Timor-Leste
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
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- Uses the US dollar as official currency
- Central bank has not addressed crypto regulation
- Very limited financial infrastructure
- Minimal crypto adoption
