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India vs South Korea

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | India | South Korea
India

India

South Korea

South Korea

Legal
Legal

India legalized crypto taxation in the 2022 Union Budget, imposing a flat 30% tax on all crypto gains with no deductions for losses. A 1% TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on crypto transactions above thresholds also applies. The Supreme Court struck down the RBI's 2018 banking ban in 2020, and India is now developing a broader regulatory framework.

South Korea is one of the world's largest crypto markets. The Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA), effective July 2024, provides comprehensive investor protection including requirements for exchanges to hold user assets in cold storage and carry insurance. All VASPs must register with FIU and comply with strict AML rules under the Specific Financial Information Act. A 20% crypto gains tax (above KRW 2.5 million exemption, raised from the original 250K KRW threshold) has been deferred multiple times and is now scheduled for January 2027.

Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Type Varies
Tax Rate 30%
Tax Rate 20%
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator CBDT, FIU-IND, SEBI, RBI
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Stablecoin Rules No specific stablecoin regulation; RBI exploring digital rupee CBDC
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Key Points
  • Flat 30% tax on all crypto gains with no loss offset against other income (effective April 2022)
  • 1% TDS on crypto transactions above ₹10,000 (₹50,000 for specified persons)
  • Supreme Court struck down RBI's 2018 banking circular banning banks from serving crypto firms
  • FIU-IND requires VASPs to register and comply with PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)
  • India blocked non-compliant offshore exchanges (Binance, others) in 2024, later some re-registered
Key Points
  • Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA) effective July 2024 — major investor protection law
  • VASPs must register with FIU and partner with real-name verified bank accounts
  • 20% national tax (22% effective incl. 2% local income surtax) above KRW 2.5M annual exemption (deferred to January 2027)
  • Exchanges must hold 80%+ of user assets in cold wallets and carry insurance/reserves
  • Only won-denominated trading pairs allowed on major exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit)
Sources
Sources