Iraq vs Kuwait
Crypto regulation comparison
Iraq
Kuwait
Banned
Restricted
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.
Kuwait has taken a restrictive approach to cryptocurrency. The Central Bank of Kuwait and the Capital Markets Authority have prohibited banks and financial institutions from processing crypto transactions. There is no licensing framework for crypto exchanges. However, owning crypto is not explicitly illegal, and there is no personal income tax in Kuwait, so no crypto-specific tax applies.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
No
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
CBI (Central Bank of Iraq)
Regulator
CBK (Central Bank of Kuwait), CMA
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; crypto activities prohibited
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
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
- CBK prohibits banks and financial institutions from dealing in virtual currencies
- No licensing framework exists for crypto exchanges or VASPs
- Personal ownership of crypto is not explicitly criminalized
- No personal income or capital gains tax in Kuwait applies to crypto
- CMA has warned investors about the risks of cryptocurrency