North Korea vs Netherlands
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Netherlands
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.
The Netherlands has one of Europe's strictest crypto regulatory regimes. DNB has overseen VASP registration since 2020 under the Dutch AML/CFT Act (Wwft), and many applications have been rejected. The Netherlands does not tax realized capital gains directly; instead, crypto holdings are taxed under the Box 3 wealth tax based on a deemed return on net assets. The AFM oversees market conduct. MiCA is now the governing framework.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Wealth
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
~1.2-1.6% (deemed return)
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
DNB (De Nederlandsche Bank), AFM (Autoriteit Financiële Markten)
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under EU MiCA framework; DNB oversight
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
- DNB requires VASP registration under the Wwft (AML Act); rigorous approval process
- Only a limited number of VASPs have obtained DNB registration (many rejected or withdrawn)
- Crypto taxed under Box 3 wealth tax: deemed return on net assets taxed at ~31-36% (effective ~1.2-1.6%)
- AFM regulates crypto advertising and market conduct; banned crypto ads targeting retail in 2022
- MiCA framework applicable from December 2024, transitioning from national DNB regime