Mauritius vs São Tomé and Príncipe
Crypto regulation comparison
Mauritius
São Tomé and Príncipe
Legal
No Regulation
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.
São Tomé and Príncipe has no specific cryptocurrency regulation.
Tax Type
Income
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
15%
Tax Rate
N/A
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
FSC (Financial Services Commission)
Regulator
Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe
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
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- Central bank has not addressed crypto
- Very limited financial infrastructure
- Minimal crypto adoption
- No licensing framework for crypto services
