South Korea vs Mongolia

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.

Mongolia adopted the Law on Virtual Asset Service Providers (VPSP) in December 2021, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework. The Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) registers and supervises crypto exchanges. Over 12 licensed exchanges serve 850,000+ customers. Crypto mining is legal and growing, with tax incentives for renewable energy use.