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South Korea vs Syria

Crypto regulation comparison

South Korea

South Korea

Syria

Syria

Legal
Banned

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.

Syria has a restrictive stance on cryptocurrency compounded by international sanctions. The Central Bank has not authorized crypto activities. International sanctions make access to crypto platforms extremely difficult.

Tax Type Varies
Tax Type None
Tax Rate 20%
Tax Rate N/A
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges No No
Mining Yes Yes
Mining No No
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Regulator Central Bank of Syria
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Stablecoin Rules No stablecoin regulation
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
  • Central Bank has not authorized cryptocurrency activities
  • International sanctions severely restrict crypto access
  • No specific cryptocurrency legislation
  • Limited internet infrastructure hampers crypto use
  • Informal crypto usage exists despite restrictions