Guatemala vs Laos
Crypto regulation comparison
Guatemala
Laos
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.
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
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Banguat (Banco de Guatemala), SIB
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin-specific regulation
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
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
- 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