North Korea vs Uzbekistan
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Uzbekistan
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.
Uzbekistan has actively regulated crypto since 2018, when it established the NAPM (initially NAPCI) to oversee virtual assets. Licensed crypto exchanges operate in a regulatory sandbox. Individual crypto trading profits are exempt from tax. Uzbekistan has also established a state-backed mining pool and licensing regime for miners, leveraging its energy resources.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
NAPM (National Agency for Prospective Projects)
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under NAPM virtual asset 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
- NAPM oversees virtual asset regulation and licensing
- Licensed exchanges operate under regulatory framework since 2018
- Individual crypto trading exempt from income tax
- State-backed mining pool and licensing for crypto miners
- Only licensed platforms can offer crypto services; unlicensed platforms blocked