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South Korea vs Zimbabwe

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | South Korea | Zimbabwe
South Korea

South Korea

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

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.

Zimbabwe has restricted cryptocurrency through its central bank. The RBZ banned financial institutions from processing crypto transactions in 2018. However, in a unique move, the RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG tokens) in 2023 as a store of value. Zimbabwe has a history of currency instability (hyperinflation, currency collapses) which drives informal crypto adoption for hedging and remittances.

Tax Type Varies
Tax Type None
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 RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe)
Stablecoin Rules Under development; stablecoins subject to VASP rules
Stablecoin Rules No private stablecoin regulation; RBZ introduced gold-backed ZiG digital token as state currency
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
  • RBZ banned banks and financial institutions from servicing crypto in 2018
  • RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG) in 2023 as a CBDC-like instrument
  • No licensing framework for crypto exchanges
  • Informal crypto adoption driven by currency instability and remittance needs
  • Crypto ownership itself is not explicitly criminalized for individuals
Sources
Sources