North Korea vs Laos
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Laos
Banned
Legal
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.
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
None
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
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
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