Ecuador vs North Korea
Crypto regulation comparison
Ecuador
North Korea
Partially Regulated
Banned
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.
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
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
Banco Central del Ecuador, Superintendencia de Bancos
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
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
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