Mauritius vs Maldives
Crypto regulation comparison
Mauritius
Maldives
Legal
Restricted
Mauritius has developed a regulatory framework for virtual assets through the Financial Services Commission. The Virtual Asset and Initial Token Offering Services Act 2021 (VAITOS Act) provides licensing for VASPs. Mauritius positions itself as a fintech-friendly jurisdiction in Africa with a flat 15% income tax rate applicable to crypto income.
The Maldives Monetary Authority has warned against cryptocurrency and does not recognize it as legal tender. No specific legislation exists but the MMA discourages crypto activities.
Tax Type
Income
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
15%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
FSC (Financial Services Commission)
Regulator
Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA)
Stablecoin Rules
Virtual assets regulated under FSC framework
Stablecoin Rules
No stablecoin regulation
Key Points
- VAITOS Act 2021 provides comprehensive licensing for VASPs
- FSC issues Class M (custodian), Class O (exchange), Class R (advisory) licenses
- Flat 15% income tax rate applies to crypto income
- No separate capital gains tax; gains may be treated as income
- Mauritius is a member of FATF and complies with international AML standards
Key Points
- MMA has warned against cryptocurrency use
- Crypto not recognized as legal tender
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- Financial institutions discouraged from dealing in crypto
- Limited crypto adoption