Egypt vs Laos
Crypto regulation comparison
Egypt
Laos
Restricted
Legal
Egypt heavily restricts cryptocurrency. The Central Bank of Egypt prohibits banks from dealing in or facilitating crypto transactions, and a 2018 Dar al-Ifta fatwa declared crypto trading haram. However, Egypt's 2020 banking law created a framework that could eventually allow regulated crypto under CBE licensing.
Laos authorized cryptocurrency mining and trading through a 2021 pilot program (PM Notification No. 1158). Six companies were initially licensed, growing to 15+ by 2023. Mining operations must be 100% Lao-owned and use at least 10MW from Électricité du Laos. Two crypto exchanges (LDX, Bitqik) registered with Bank of Lao PDR.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), Dar al-Ifta
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable under current restrictions
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
Key Points
- CBE prohibits banks and financial institutions from dealing in cryptocurrency
- Dar al-Ifta issued a 2018 religious ruling (fatwa) against crypto trading
- 2020 Central Bank and Banking Sector Law requires CBE approval for any crypto activity
- Creating or operating a crypto platform without CBE license is illegal
- Despite restrictions, Egypt has significant peer-to-peer crypto activity
Key Points
- PM Notification No. 1158 (2021) authorized pilot crypto mining and trading
- Two licensed exchanges: LDX and Bitqik, registered with Bank of Lao PDR
- Mining leverages surplus hydroelectric power from Électricité du Laos
- Mining must be 100% Lao-owned; trading platforms require 51% Lao ownership
- 15% tax on transaction fees; M security deposit required for exchanges
