Dominican Republic vs Panama
Crypto regulation comparison
Dominican Republic
Panama
Restricted
Legal
The Dominican Republic has no specific cryptocurrency legislation. The central bank (BCRD) issued statements in 2017 and 2021 warning that crypto is not legal tender and prohibiting regulated financial institutions from dealing in digital assets under Monetary Law No. 183-02. Individual use is not criminalized but operates in a restricted gray area.
Panama passed Law 129 in 2024 regulating crypto assets, virtual asset service providers, and tokenized securities. Panama has no capital gains tax on foreign-sourced or investment income, making it attractive for crypto investors. The law provides a regulatory framework for exchanges and establishes AML/KYC obligations for VASPs.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Banco Central de la República Dominicana (BCRD), SIMV
Regulator
SBP (Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá), SMV
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation exists
- BCRD prohibits regulated financial institutions from dealing in crypto
- Crypto is not recognized as legal tender
- No licensing framework for crypto exchanges
- Crypto gains treated as taxable income when converted to Dominican pesos
Key Points
- Law 129 (2024) regulates crypto assets and VASPs in Panama
- No capital gains tax on investment or foreign-sourced income (territorial tax system)
- VASPs must comply with AML/KYC requirements under the new framework
- Crypto payments for commercial transactions are permitted
- Panama's territorial tax system means crypto gains from international trading are untaxed