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Panama vs South Africa

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | Panama | South Africa
Panama

Panama

South Africa

South Africa

Legal
Legal

Panama passed Law 129 in 2024 regulating crypto assets, virtual asset service providers, and tokenized securities. Panama has no capital gains tax on foreign-sourced or investment income, making it attractive for crypto investors. The law provides a regulatory framework for exchanges and establishes AML/KYC obligations for VASPs.

South Africa has embraced crypto regulation. In 2022, the FSCA declared crypto assets as financial products under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act, requiring crypto service providers to obtain FSCA licenses. SARS taxes crypto gains under capital gains tax (up to 18% effective rate for individuals) or income tax depending on trading frequency. South Africa is the largest crypto market in Africa.

Tax Type None
Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Rate 0%
Tax Rate 18% (effective max ~18%)
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining No No
Regulator SBP (Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá), SMV
Regulator FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), SARB (South African Reserve Bank)
Stablecoin Rules No specific stablecoin regulation
Stablecoin Rules Crypto assets declared financial products under FAIS; stablecoins included
Key Points
  • Law 129 (2024) regulates crypto assets and VASPs in Panama
  • No capital gains tax on investment or foreign-sourced income (territorial tax system)
  • VASPs must comply with AML/KYC requirements under the new framework
  • Crypto payments for commercial transactions are permitted
  • Panama's territorial tax system means crypto gains from international trading are untaxed
Key Points
  • Crypto declared a financial product under FAIS Act (2022); service providers must be FSCA-licensed
  • FSCA began licensing crypto asset service providers (CASPs) in 2023
  • Capital gains taxed at effective rate up to 18% (45% max marginal rate × 40% inclusion)
  • Frequent trading may be classified as income and taxed at marginal rates (up to 45%)
  • SARB regulates cross-border crypto transactions under exchange control regulations
Sources
Sources