Laos vs Turkmenistan
Crypto regulation comparison
Laos
Turkmenistan
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.
Turkmenistan enacted the Law on Virtual Assets effective January 2026, legalizing crypto exchanges and mining under Central Bank licensing. Crypto is treated as property, not legal tender.
Tax Type
Unclear
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
15% on transaction fees
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Ministry of Technology and Communications, Bank of the Lao PDR
Regulator
Central Bank of Turkmenistan
Stablecoin Rules
No specific stablecoin regulation; pilot covers BTC, ETH, LTC
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under Virtual Assets Law
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
- Law on Virtual Assets enacted November 2025, effective January 2026
- Crypto exchanges and mining require Central Bank licensing
- Crypto treated as property, not legal tender
- Banks prohibited from directly providing crypto services
- Low electricity costs attract mining operations