Egypt vs Turkmenistan
Crypto regulation comparison
Egypt
Turkmenistan
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.
Turkmenistan enacted the Law on Virtual Assets effective January 2026, legalizing crypto exchanges and mining under Central Bank licensing. Crypto is treated as property, not legal tender.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), Dar al-Ifta
Regulator
Central Bank of Turkmenistan
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable under current restrictions
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under Virtual Assets Law
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
- Law on Virtual Assets enacted November 2025, effective January 2026
- Crypto exchanges and mining require Central Bank licensing
- Crypto treated as property, not legal tender
- Banks prohibited from directly providing crypto services
- Low electricity costs attract mining operations