Colombia vs Ecuador
Crypto regulation comparison
Colombia
Ecuador
Legal
Partially Regulated
Cryptocurrency is legal in Colombia but not recognized as legal tender or currency. The SFC has run regulatory sandbox programs for crypto-financial services, and exchanges operate under general business registration. Colombia has high crypto adoption, particularly for remittances and as an inflation hedge.
Ecuador has a complex relationship with cryptocurrency. A 2014 National Assembly resolution banned Bitcoin as legal tender, and the Central Bank prohibits financial institutions from dealing in crypto. However, private ownership and trading of crypto are not explicitly illegal, and peer-to-peer usage exists.
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
0-39%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
SFC (Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia), DIAN
Regulator
Banco Central del Ecuador, Superintendencia de Bancos
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulations yet
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- Crypto is legal but not recognized as currency or legal tender
- SFC operates regulatory sandboxes allowing banks to partner with crypto exchanges
- DIAN (tax authority) requires reporting and taxation of crypto gains as part of general income
- Colombia ranks among the top 20 countries globally in crypto adoption
- No comprehensive crypto-specific legislation yet; regulation evolving
Key Points
- 2014 resolution prohibits crypto from being used as legal tender
- Central Bank bans financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions
- Private ownership and P2P trading exist in a legal gray area
- Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency, limiting monetary policy tools
- No comprehensive crypto regulatory framework in place