North Korea vs Turkmenistan
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Turkmenistan
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.
Turkmenistan enacted the Law on Virtual Assets effective January 2026, legalizing crypto exchanges and mining under Central Bank licensing. Crypto is treated as property, not legal tender.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
Central Bank of Turkmenistan
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under Virtual Assets Law
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
- Law on Virtual Assets enacted November 2025, effective January 2026
- Crypto exchanges and mining require Central Bank licensing
- Crypto treated as property, not legal tender
- Banks prohibited from directly providing crypto services
- Low electricity costs attract mining operations