Switzerland vs Guatemala
Crypto regulation comparison
Switzerland
Guatemala
Switzerland is one of the world's most crypto-friendly jurisdictions. The Canton of Zug is known as 'Crypto Valley' and hosts the Ethereum Foundation and hundreds of blockchain companies. FINMA provides clear regulatory guidance, and the DLT Act (2021) created a legal framework for tokenized securities and crypto exchanges. Individual investors pay no capital gains tax on crypto, though it is included in the cantonal wealth tax base. Professional traders may be subject to income tax.
Guatemala has no specific cryptocurrency regulation. The Banco de Guatemala has stated that crypto is not legal tender and not backed by the central bank, but has not banned its use. Crypto usage exists primarily for remittances from the US-based diaspora.
Key Points
- No capital gains tax on crypto for individual investors (private wealth management)
- Crypto included in cantonal wealth tax base (rates vary by canton, typically 0.1-1%)
- Professional/frequent traders may be classified as self-employed and taxed on income
- FINMA regulates crypto under existing financial market laws and the 2021 DLT Act
- DLT Act (2021) introduced DLT trading facility license and legal framework for tokenized assets
Key Points
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation exists
- Banguat has warned that crypto is not legal tender and not government-backed
- Crypto is neither explicitly legal nor illegal for private use
- Remittance use case is significant given large diaspora in the US
- Tax treatment of crypto gains is unclear