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Algeria vs South Korea

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | Algeria | South Korea
Algeria

Algeria

South Korea

South Korea

Banned
Legal

Algeria maintains one of the world's strictest cryptocurrency bans. Article 117 of the 2018 Finance Law prohibits the purchase, sale, use, and possession of virtual currencies. Law No. 25-10 (2025) further codified criminal penalties including imprisonment and fines for crypto-related activities.

South Korea is one of the world's largest crypto markets. The Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA), effective July 2024, provides comprehensive investor protection including requirements for exchanges to hold user assets in cold storage and carry insurance. All VASPs must register with FIU and comply with strict AML rules under the Specific Financial Information Act. A 20% crypto gains tax (above KRW 2.5 million exemption, raised from the original 250K KRW threshold) has been deferred multiple times and is now scheduled for January 2027.

Tax Type None
Tax Type Varies
Tax Rate N/A
Tax Rate 20%
Exchanges No No
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining No No
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator Bank of Algeria
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Stablecoin Rules All crypto activities banned including stablecoins
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Key Points
  • 2018 Finance Law (Article 117) prohibits purchase, sale, use, and holding of virtual currency
  • No licensed crypto exchanges operate in Algeria
  • Bank of Algeria has issued multiple warnings against cryptocurrency
  • Law No. 25-10 (2025) codifies prison sentences and fines for crypto offenses
  • Despite the ban, peer-to-peer crypto usage persists informally
Key Points
  • Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA) effective July 2024 — major investor protection law
  • VASPs must register with FIU and partner with real-name verified bank accounts
  • 20% national tax (22% effective incl. 2% local income surtax) above KRW 2.5M annual exemption (deferred to January 2027)
  • Exchanges must hold 80%+ of user assets in cold wallets and carry insurance/reserves
  • Only won-denominated trading pairs allowed on major exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit)
Sources
Sources