Iran vs North Korea
Crypto regulation comparison
Iran
North Korea
Restricted
Banned
Iran has a complex stance on cryptocurrency. Crypto mining is legal and licensed by the Ministry of Industry, but using crypto for domestic payments is banned by the CBI. The government has explored using crypto for international trade to circumvent sanctions. Mining operations are periodically shut down during energy shortages.
North Korea does not allow civilian cryptocurrency use. The regime has been accused by the UN and US of using state-sponsored hacking to steal cryptocurrency to fund weapons programs.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
CBI (Central Bank of Iran), Ministry of Industry
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; crypto payments and trading domestically restricted
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Key Points
- Crypto mining is legal and licensed by the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade
- CBI bans using crypto as a domestic payment method
- Licensed miners must sell mined crypto to the CBI or authorized exporters
- Government has explored crypto for sanctions evasion in international trade
- Mining farms periodically shut down during summer/winter energy demand peaks
Key Points
- No civilian cryptocurrency use permitted
- State-sponsored crypto theft alleged by UN and US
- Lazarus Group linked to major crypto exchange hacks
- International sanctions restrict all financial activities
- Cryptocurrency used by state actors, not civilians