Laos vs Vatican City
Crypto regulation comparison
Laos
Vatican City
Legal
No Regulation
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.
Vatican City has no cryptocurrency regulation. The micro-state's financial system is focused on the Holy See's financial activities. ASIF provides financial oversight.
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
ASIF (Supervisory and Financial Information Authority)
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
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- ASIF provides financial oversight for the Holy See
- Micro-state with very limited financial market
- No crypto exchanges or services
- AML/CFT framework aligned with international standards