Laos vs Marshall Islands
Crypto regulation comparison
Laos
Marshall Islands
Legal
Legal
Laos authorized cryptocurrency mining and trading through a 2021 pilot program (PM Notification No. 1158). Six companies were initially licensed, growing to 15+ by 2023. Mining operations must be 100% Lao-owned and use at least 10MW from Électricité du Laos. Two crypto exchanges (LDX, Bitqik) registered with Bank of Lao PDR.
The Marshall Islands passed the Sovereign Currency Act in 2018 to create the SOV, a blockchain-based national digital currency. No income or capital gains tax.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
No tax
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Regulator
Banking Commission of the Marshall Islands
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- PM Notification No. 1158 (2021) authorized pilot crypto mining and trading
- Two licensed exchanges: LDX and Bitqik, registered with Bank of Lao PDR
- Mining leverages surplus hydroelectric power from Électricité du Laos
- Mining must be 100% Lao-owned; trading platforms require 51% Lao ownership
- 15% tax on transaction fees; M security deposit required for exchanges
Key Points
- Sovereign Currency Act (2018) created SOV digital currency
- No income or capital gains tax
- Has been a popular jurisdiction for DAO registration
- Banking Commission provides oversight
- Limited domestic crypto adoption