Botswana vs Trinidad and Tobago
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Trinidad and Tobago
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.
Trinidad and Tobago's crypto sector is largely unregulated. The Central Bank, TTSEC, and FIU jointly warned in 2019 that crypto providers are neither regulated nor supervised. A 2025 Virtual Assets Bill proposes banning crypto transactions until December 2027 with fines up to M TTD. Most banks block crypto purchases.
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
Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), TTSEC
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
- Joint 2019 advisory: crypto providers neither regulated nor supervised
- Virtual Assets Bill 2025 proposes ban on crypto transactions until December 2027
- Most commercial banks block crypto-related transactions
- Proposed fines up to M TTD for unauthorized virtual asset activities
- TTSEC designated as primary regulator under proposed legislation