Algeria vs Panama
Crypto regulation comparison
Algeria
Panama
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.
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
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Bank of Algeria
Regulator
SBP (Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá), SMV
Stablecoin Rules
All crypto activities banned including stablecoins
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
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
- 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