BTC $67,164.00 (-1.41%)
ETH $1,980.34 (-1.86%)
XRP $1.43 (-3.67%)
BNB $610.59 (-1.63%)
SOL $82.25 (-3.56%)
TRX $0.28 (-0.59%)
DOGE $0.10 (-3.19%)
BCH $562.44 (-0.79%)
ADA $0.28 (-2.87%)
LEO $8.66 (+1.56%)
HYPE $29.08 (-1.92%)
LINK $8.70 (-2.50%)
CC $0.16 (-2.23%)
XMR $326.07 (-4.96%)
XLM $0.16 (-4.29%)
RAIN $0.01 (+0.27%)
ZEC $262.81 (-10.05%)
HBAR $0.10 (-3.11%)
LTC $53.35 (-2.02%)
AVAX $8.90 (-2.52%)

South Korea vs Trinidad and Tobago

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | South Korea | Trinidad and Tobago
South Korea

South Korea

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Legal
Restricted

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.

Trinidad and Tobago's crypto sector is largely unregulated. The Central Bank, TTSEC, and FIU jointly warned in 2019 that crypto providers are neither regulated nor supervised. A 2025 Virtual Assets Bill proposes banning crypto transactions until December 2027 with fines up to M TTD. Most banks block crypto purchases.

Tax Type Varies
Tax Type Unclear
Tax Rate 20%
Tax Rate N/A
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges No No
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator FSC (Financial Services Commission), FSS, FIU (Korea Financial Intelligence Unit)
Regulator Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), TTSEC
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
  • Joint 2019 advisory: crypto providers neither regulated nor supervised
  • Virtual Assets Bill 2025 proposes ban on crypto transactions until December 2027
  • Most commercial banks block crypto-related transactions
  • Proposed fines up to M TTD for unauthorized virtual asset activities
  • TTSEC designated as primary regulator under proposed legislation
Sources
Sources