Namibia vs Qatar
Crypto regulation comparison
Namibia
Qatar
Legal
Restricted
Namibia enacted the Virtual Assets Act (Act 10 of 2023) establishing a comprehensive licensing framework for VASPs. The Bank of Namibia is designated as regulator. Crypto is legal but not legal tender. No specific crypto tax framework yet.
Qatar has a restrictive stance on cryptocurrency. The Qatar Central Bank banned crypto trading and services in 2018, and the QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) prohibits virtual asset services within the Qatar Financial Centre. However, Qatar has shown interest in blockchain technology for non-crypto applications and is exploring a potential CBDC. The Qatar Financial Centre issued a Digital Assets Framework in 2024 focused on tokenized real-world assets, not cryptocurrencies.
Tax Type
No framework
Tax Type
None
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
0%
Exchanges
Yes
Exchanges
No
Mining
Yes
Mining
No
Regulator
Bank of Namibia
Regulator
QCB (Qatar Central Bank), QFCRA
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under Virtual Assets Act
Stablecoin Rules
Not permitted under current QCB regulations
Key Points
- Virtual Assets Act (Act 10 of 2023) signed into law July 2023
- VASPs must obtain licenses from Bank of Namibia to operate
- Provisional licenses granted to first two exchanges in 2025
- Non-compliance penalties up to NAD 10 million and 10 years imprisonment
- Crypto is not legal tender but merchants may accept at their discretion
Key Points
- QFCRA prohibited authorized firms from providing virtual asset services (2019 alert, reaffirmed 2024)
- QFCRA prohibits virtual asset services within the Qatar Financial Centre
- QFC introduced a 2024 Digital Assets Framework for tokenized securities (not crypto)
- No personal income or capital gains tax in Qatar (but crypto trading is banned)
- Qatar exploring blockchain and CBDC applications separate from crypto