North Korea vs Sri Lanka
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Sri Lanka
Banned
Restricted
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.
Sri Lanka has no specific cryptocurrency legislation. The CBSL has issued multiple warnings (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) about crypto risks and has not authorized any entity to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services. Use of debit/credit cards for crypto is prohibited under the Foreign Exchange Act. The SEC has been discussed as a potential future regulator.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
No
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Securities and Exchange Commission
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
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
- CBSL has issued repeated warnings about crypto risks (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- No entity authorized to operate crypto exchanges, mining, or advisory services
- Use of debit/credit cards for crypto prohibited under Foreign Exchange Act
- CBSL requested criminal proceedings against crypto pyramid schemes
- SEC discussed as potential future regulatory authority for digital assets