Liberia vs Rwanda
Crypto regulation comparison
Liberia
Rwanda
Restricted
Restricted
The CBL has not issued crypto licenses and considers unauthorized crypto products illegal. No specific crypto legislation exists but the Financial Institutions Act requires licensing for all financial services.
Rwanda is developing a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework. The NBR and Capital Markets Authority are drafting a law requiring VASPs to obtain CMA licenses. The draft law prohibits crypto as legal tender, bans mining and crypto ATMs, and imposes fines up to 30M RWF and imprisonment for unlicensed operators.
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
Central Bank of Liberia
Regulator
National Bank of Rwanda (NBR), Capital Markets Authority (CMA)
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules
Draft law prohibits crypto as payment; mining and crypto ATMs banned
Key Points
- CBL has not approved any crypto licensing
- Unauthorized crypto products deemed illegal under Financial Institutions Act
- CBL shut down local crypto startup TACC in 2021
- No specific crypto tax framework
- Very low crypto adoption due to limited internet access
Key Points
- Draft law requires VASPs to obtain licenses from Capital Markets Authority
- Crypto prohibited as legal tender or payment method under draft law
- Crypto mining, crypto ATMs, and mixer/tumbler services banned
- Penalties include fines up to 30M RWF and up to 5 years imprisonment
- Framework driven by FATF compliance on AML requirements