South Korea vs Myanmar
Crypto regulation comparison
South Korea
Myanmar
South Korea is one of the world's largest crypto markets. The Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA), effective July 2024, provides comprehensive investor protection including requirements for exchanges to hold user assets in cold storage and carry insurance. All VASPs must register with FIU and comply with strict AML rules under the Specific Financial Information Act. A 20% crypto gains tax (above KRW 2.5 million exemption, raised from the original 250K KRW threshold) has been deferred multiple times and is now scheduled for January 2027.
Myanmar's Central Bank issued Notification No. 9/2020 prohibiting the sale, purchase, and exchange of unregulated digital currencies. Violations are prosecuted under the Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law with penalties including imprisonment and fines. Despite the ban, underground stablecoin usage persists, particularly USDT.
Key Points
- Virtual Asset Users Protection Act (VAUPA) effective July 2024 — major investor protection law
- VASPs must register with FIU and partner with real-name verified bank accounts
- 20% national tax (22% effective incl. 2% local income surtax) above KRW 2.5M annual exemption (deferred to January 2027)
- Exchanges must hold 80%+ of user assets in cold wallets and carry insurance/reserves
- Only won-denominated trading pairs allowed on major exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit)
Key Points
- CBM Notification No. 9/2020 prohibits sale, purchase, and exchange of digital currencies
- Violations prosecuted under Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law
- Financial institutions banned from dealing in digital currencies
- CBM is exploring a central bank digital currency (digital kyat)
- Underground stablecoin (USDT) usage persists despite ban