Central African Republic vs El Salvador
Crypto regulation comparison
Central African Republic
El Salvador
Legal
Legal
The Central African Republic briefly adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2022 under the 'Sango' project, but this was struck down by the Constitutional Court. Crypto remains legal but the legal tender status was reversed.
El Salvador made history in September 2021 by becoming the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender through the Bitcoin Law. However, under a January 2025 IMF agreement (Decreto 199), El Salvador amended the law to make Bitcoin acceptance by businesses voluntary rather than mandatory, and repealed several articles. There is no capital gains tax on Bitcoin. The CNAD regulates digital assets.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
No tax
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
BEAC (Bank of Central African States)
Regulator
BCR (Banco Central de Reserva), CNAD (Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales)
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
USD is the primary currency; Bitcoin-specific legislation in place
Key Points
- Bitcoin was briefly adopted as legal tender in 2022 via the Sango Act
- Constitutional Court struck down the legal tender provision
- Crypto trading and holding remain legal
- BEAC opposed the Bitcoin legal tender move
- Sango crypto hub project launched but has faced significant challenges
Key Points
- First country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021 via the Bitcoin Law
- Government developed the Chivo wallet for citizens, offering $30 USD in BTC incentive
- January 2025 Decreto 199 made merchant Bitcoin acceptance voluntary (IMF condition)
- No capital gains tax on Bitcoin transactions for individuals
- Government has been accumulating Bitcoin reserves and launched Bitcoin-backed bonds