BTC $66,012.00 (-2.23%)
ETH $1,909.79 (-2.09%)
XRP $1.38 (-0.95%)
BNB $609.41 (-1.29%)
SOL $80.23 (-4.12%)
TRX $0.28 (-1.59%)
DOGE $0.10 (+0.84%)
BCH $533.95 (-6.11%)
ADA $0.27 (-0.30%)
LEO $8.10 (-0.73%)
HYPE $26.74 (-8.50%)
CC $0.16 (+1.67%)
LINK $8.47 (-2.83%)
XMR $316.86 (-1.40%)
XLM $0.16 (+0.40%)
RAIN $0.01 (-2.07%)
HBAR $0.10 (-0.55%)
ZEC $247.00 (+0.07%)
LTC $52.70 (-0.92%)
AVAX $8.65 (-2.37%)

El Salvador vs United States

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | El Salvador | United States
El Salvador

El Salvador

United States

United States

Legal
Legal

El Salvador made history in September 2021 by becoming the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender through the Bitcoin Law. However, under a January 2025 IMF agreement (Decreto 199), El Salvador amended the law to make Bitcoin acceptance by businesses voluntary rather than mandatory, and repealed several articles. There is no capital gains tax on Bitcoin. The CNAD regulates digital assets.

The United States has the world's most complex crypto regulatory landscape, with overlapping federal and state jurisdictions. The SEC regulates crypto securities and has pursued enforcement actions against exchanges and token issuers. The CFTC oversees crypto derivatives and considers Bitcoin a commodity. FinCEN applies BSA requirements to crypto exchanges as money service businesses. The IRS taxes crypto as property: short-term gains at income tax rates (10-37%), long-term gains at 0-20%. New 1099-DA broker reporting rules take effect from 2025. Multiple states have their own requirements, with New York's BitLicense being the most stringent.

Tax Type No tax
Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Rate 0%
Tax Rate 0-37%
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator BCR (Banco Central de Reserva), CNAD (Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales)
Regulator SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OCC, IRS, State regulators
Stablecoin Rules USD is the primary currency; Bitcoin-specific legislation in place
Stablecoin Rules Stablecoin legislation actively being developed in Congress; existing oversight by SEC, CFTC, state regulators
Key Points
  • First country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021 via the Bitcoin Law
  • Government developed the Chivo wallet for citizens, offering $30 USD in BTC incentive
  • January 2025 Decreto 199 made merchant Bitcoin acceptance voluntary (IMF condition)
  • No capital gains tax on Bitcoin transactions for individuals
  • Government has been accumulating Bitcoin reserves and launched Bitcoin-backed bonds
Key Points
  • SEC regulates crypto as securities under Howey test; major enforcement actions (Ripple, Coinbase, Binance)
  • CFTC classifies Bitcoin and Ether as commodities; oversees derivatives markets
  • IRS treats crypto as property: short-term gains taxed at 10-37%, long-term (1yr+) at 0-20%
  • FinCEN requires exchanges to register as MSBs and comply with BSA/AML requirements
  • 1099-DA broker reporting for centralized exchanges effective from tax year 2025
Sources
Sources