Laos vs Myanmar
Crypto regulation comparison
Laos
Myanmar
Legal
Banned
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.
Myanmar's Central Bank issued Notification No. 9/2020 prohibiting the sale, purchase, and exchange of unregulated digital currencies. Violations are prosecuted under the Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law with penalties including imprisonment and fines. Despite the ban, underground stablecoin usage persists, particularly USDT.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Regulator
Central Bank of Myanmar
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
Stablecoin Rules
No 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
- CBM Notification No. 9/2020 prohibits sale, purchase, and exchange of digital currencies
- Violations prosecuted under Anti-Money Laundering Law and Financial Institutions Law
- Financial institutions banned from dealing in digital currencies
- CBM is exploring a central bank digital currency (digital kyat)
- Underground stablecoin (USDT) usage persists despite ban