North Korea vs Zimbabwe
Crypto regulation comparison
North Korea
Zimbabwe
Banned
Restricted
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.
Zimbabwe has restricted cryptocurrency through its central bank. The RBZ banned financial institutions from processing crypto transactions in 2018. However, in a unique move, the RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG tokens) in 2023 as a store of value. Zimbabwe has a history of currency instability (hyperinflation, currency collapses) which drives informal crypto adoption for hedging and remittances.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
No
Mining
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Central Bank of North Korea
Regulator
RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe)
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — crypto banned
Stablecoin Rules
No private stablecoin regulation; RBZ introduced gold-backed ZiG digital token as state currency
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
- RBZ banned banks and financial institutions from servicing crypto in 2018
- RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG) in 2023 as a CBDC-like instrument
- No licensing framework for crypto exchanges
- Informal crypto adoption driven by currency instability and remittance needs
- Crypto ownership itself is not explicitly criminalized for individuals