Iran vs Laos
Crypto regulation comparison
Iran
Laos
Restricted
Legal
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.
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
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
CBI (Central Bank of Iran), Ministry of Industry
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable; crypto payments and trading domestically restricted
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
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
- 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