North Korea vs Latvia
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Latvia
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.
Cryptocurrency is legal in Latvia and regulated under the EU MiCA framework. Since 2023, the financial regulator FKTK merged into Latvijas Banka, which now oversees VASP registration and AML compliance. Capital gains from crypto are taxed at 20%. Latvia has been proactive in implementing EU-wide crypto standards.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
20%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
FKTK (Finanšu un kapitāla tirgus komisija) / Latvijas Banka
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework
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
- VASPs must register with Latvijas Banka and comply with AML/CFT requirements
- Capital gains from crypto taxed at 20% personal income tax rate
- MiCA framework applies from December 2024, transitioning existing registrations
- Latvia transposed the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive for crypto oversight
- Latvijas Banka absorbed FKTK regulatory functions in January 2023