North Korea vs Palau
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Palau
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.
Palau has explored blockchain technology and launched a stablecoin program in partnership with Ripple. No income or capital gains tax.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
No tax
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
Financial Institutions Commission
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
No specific 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
- Exploring national stablecoin in partnership with Ripple
- No income or capital gains tax
- Uses the US dollar as official currency
- Small but forward-looking approach to digital assets
- Limited domestic crypto infrastructure