Kyrgyzstan vs Saudi Arabia
Crypto regulation comparison
Kyrgyzstan
Saudi Arabia
Legal
Restricted
Kyrgyzstan adopted the Law on Virtual Assets in 2022 requiring licensing for exchanges, mining, and VASPs. Over 120 licensed VASPs operate. Crypto turnover exceeded traditional securities market in 2024.
Saudi Arabia has an ambiguous but generally restrictive approach to cryptocurrency. SAMA has not licensed any crypto exchanges, and financial institutions are warned against dealing in crypto. However, crypto is not explicitly banned by law, and Saudi Arabia has participated in blockchain initiatives (Project Aber with the UAE central bank). No personal income or capital gains tax exists in Saudi Arabia.
Tax Type
Income
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
10%
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
State Financial Supervision Authority
Regulator
SAMA (Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority), CMA Saudi Arabia
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under Virtual Assets Law
Stablecoin Rules
No regulation; crypto trading not authorized
Key Points
- Law on Virtual Assets adopted in 2022 with licensing framework
- Over 120 licensed VASPs active by late 2024
- Three license types: trading operator, currency exchanger, mining operator
- Crypto sector contributed 800M KGS in taxes in 2024
- Virtual assets not recognized as legal tender but circulate under special regime
Key Points
- SAMA has not authorized or licensed any cryptocurrency exchanges
- Financial institutions warned against crypto transactions
- Crypto not explicitly banned but not regulated; exists in a legal gray area
- No personal income or capital gains tax in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia participated in CBDC experiments (Project Aber with UAE)
