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Iraq vs South Korea

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | Iraq | South Korea
Iraq

Iraq

South Korea

South Korea

Banned
Legal

Iraq has banned cryptocurrency dealings. The Central Bank of Iraq issued a directive in 2017 prohibiting banks, financial institutions, and exchange companies from dealing in cryptocurrency. Despite the ban, some underground and peer-to-peer crypto trading reportedly persists.

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 Unclear
Tax Type Varies
Tax Rate N/A
Tax Rate 20%
Exchanges No No
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining No No
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator CBI (Central Bank of Iraq)
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Stablecoin Rules Not applicable; crypto activities prohibited
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Key Points
  • CBI banned all crypto dealings by financial institutions in 2017
  • Exchange companies are prohibited from handling cryptocurrency
  • No regulatory framework for crypto businesses
  • Underground and P2P crypto trading reportedly exists despite the ban
  • The ban is motivated by AML concerns and financial stability considerations
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