South Korea vs Poland
Crypto regulation comparison
South Korea
Poland
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.
Cryptocurrency is legal and regulated in Poland. Crypto capital gains are taxed at a flat 19% rate. The KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority) oversees crypto-related financial services, and VASPs must register for AML compliance. Poland has a growing crypto community and several domestic exchanges. MiCA applies from December 2024.
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
- Flat 19% tax on crypto capital gains (PIT-38 annual declaration)
- Crypto-to-crypto transactions are not taxable events; only fiat conversions trigger tax
- VASPs must register in the AML register maintained by the Tax Administration Chamber
- KNF oversees market conduct and consumer protection for crypto services
- MiCA framework applicable from December 2024