Guatemala vs Italy
Crypto regulation comparison
Guatemala
Italy
No Regulation
Legal
Guatemala has no specific cryptocurrency regulation. The Banco de Guatemala has stated that crypto is not legal tender and not backed by the central bank, but has not banned its use. Crypto usage exists primarily for remittances from the US-based diaspora.
Cryptocurrency is legal in Italy with a 26% capital gains tax on crypto profits exceeding €2,000 per year. VASPs must register with the OAM (Agents and Mediators Register). Italy was one of the first EU countries to require VASP registration and has aligned with MiCA.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
26%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Banguat (Banco de Guatemala), SIB
Regulator
OAM (Organismo Agenti e Mediatori), Consob, Banca d'Italia
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin-specific regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework
Key Points
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation exists
- Banguat has warned that crypto is not legal tender and not government-backed
- Crypto is neither explicitly legal nor illegal for private use
- Remittance use case is significant given large diaspora in the US
- Tax treatment of crypto gains is unclear
Key Points
- 26% substitute tax on crypto capital gains exceeding €2,000 per year (since 2023 budget law)
- Italian government proposed raising crypto tax to 42% for 2025 but this was reduced back to 26%
- VASPs must register with OAM and comply with AML requirements
- Crypto holdings above €51,645.69 were previously the threshold; new regime simplified this
- MiCA framework applicable from December 2024