Colombia vs North Korea
Crypto regulation comparison
Colombia
North Korea
Legal
Banned
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.
North Korea does not allow civilian cryptocurrency use. The regime has been accused by the UN and US of using state-sponsored hacking to steal cryptocurrency to fund weapons programs.
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
0-39%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
SFC (Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia), DIAN
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulations yet
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
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
- No civilian cryptocurrency use permitted
- State-sponsored crypto theft alleged by UN and US
- Lazarus Group linked to major crypto exchange hacks
- International sanctions restrict all financial activities
- Cryptocurrency used by state actors, not civilians