Mauritius vs Thailand
Crypto regulation comparison
Mauritius
Thailand
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.
Thailand has a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework under the Digital Asset Business Emergency Decree (2018). The SEC Thailand licenses digital asset exchanges, brokers, and dealers. Crypto gains are taxed at 15% withholding tax, though the government exempted VAT on crypto trading on authorized exchanges from 2022. Thailand has a well-developed exchange ecosystem with Bitkub as the dominant platform.
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
- Digital Asset Business Emergency Decree B.E. 2561 (2018) provides comprehensive regulation
- SEC Thailand licenses exchanges, brokers, dealers, and fund managers for digital assets
- 15% withholding tax on crypto gains; VAT exempted on authorized exchange trades since 2022
- BOT restricts crypto for payments but allows it as an investment asset
- Bitkub is the dominant exchange (~90% market share domestically)