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Estonia vs United States

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | Estonia | United States
Estonia

Estonia

United States

United States

Legal
Legal

Estonia was an early mover in crypto regulation, offering licenses since 2017. However, a 2022 overhaul significantly tightened requirements, revoking hundreds of licenses and imposing stricter capital and compliance standards. Crypto gains are taxed at 20% (rising to 22% from 2025).

The United States has the world's most complex crypto regulatory landscape, with overlapping federal and state jurisdictions. The SEC regulates crypto securities and has pursued enforcement actions against exchanges and token issuers. The CFTC oversees crypto derivatives and considers Bitcoin a commodity. FinCEN applies BSA requirements to crypto exchanges as money service businesses. The IRS taxes crypto as property: short-term gains at income tax rates (10-37%), long-term gains at 0-20%. New 1099-DA broker reporting rules take effect from 2025. Multiple states have their own requirements, with New York's BitLicense being the most stringent.

Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Rate 20-22%
Tax Rate 0-37%
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator Finantsinspektsioon (EFSA), Rahapesu Andmebüroo (FIU)
Regulator SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OCC, IRS, State regulators
Stablecoin Rules Regulated under EU MiCA framework
Stablecoin Rules Stablecoin legislation actively being developed in Congress; existing oversight by SEC, CFTC, state regulators
Key Points
  • Estonia issued crypto licenses since 2017 but drastically tightened rules in 2022
  • Hundreds of crypto licenses were revoked in 2020-2022 due to AML concerns
  • New requirements include higher share capital (€100,000-€250,000) and local management
  • Crypto gains taxed at 20% personal income tax (22% from 2025)
  • MiCA framework applicable from December 2024
Key Points
  • SEC regulates crypto as securities under Howey test; major enforcement actions (Ripple, Coinbase, Binance)
  • CFTC classifies Bitcoin and Ether as commodities; oversees derivatives markets
  • IRS treats crypto as property: short-term gains taxed at 10-37%, long-term (1yr+) at 0-20%
  • FinCEN requires exchanges to register as MSBs and comply with BSA/AML requirements
  • 1099-DA broker reporting for centralized exchanges effective from tax year 2025
Sources
Sources