Cameroon vs Laos
Crypto regulation comparison
Cameroon
Laos
Restricted
Legal
Cameroon has no specific national cryptocurrency legislation. As a CEMAC member, COBAC issued a 2022 directive banning financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions. BEAC opposes crypto regulation and does not recognize cryptocurrencies. Individual ownership is not explicitly banned but access via formal banking is restricted.
Laos authorized cryptocurrency mining and trading through a 2021 pilot program (PM Notification No. 1158). Six companies were initially licensed, growing to 15+ by 2023. Mining operations must be 100% Lao-owned and use at least 10MW from Électricité du Laos. Two crypto exchanges (LDX, Bitqik) registered with Bank of Lao PDR.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
BEAC (Bank of Central African States), COBAC
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — COBAC bans financial institutions from crypto transactions
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
Key Points
- No specific national cryptocurrency legislation
- COBAC 2022 directive bans banks and payment providers from facilitating crypto transactions
- BEAC firmly opposes cryptocurrency regulation in the CEMAC region
- Part of the CEMAC monetary zone with the CFA franc
- Nearly 900,000 crypto users in Cameroon despite restrictive banking environment
Key Points
- PM Notification No. 1158 (2021) authorized pilot crypto mining and trading
- Two licensed exchanges: LDX and Bitqik, registered with Bank of Lao PDR
- Mining leverages surplus hydroelectric power from Électricité du Laos
- Mining must be 100% Lao-owned; trading platforms require 51% Lao ownership
- 15% tax on transaction fees; M security deposit required for exchanges