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United States vs Uruguay

Crypto regulation comparison

United States

United States

Uruguay

Uruguay

Legal
Legal

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.

Uruguay has a generally favorable stance toward cryptocurrency. The BCU has not banned crypto and in 2024 introduced regulations for virtual asset service providers. Crypto income may be taxed at 12% under the IRPF (personal income tax) as capital income. Uruguay has a stable economy and is positioning itself as a fintech hub in Latin America.

Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Type Income
Tax Rate 0-37%
Tax Rate 12%
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OCC, IRS, State regulators
Regulator BCU (Banco Central del Uruguay)
Stablecoin Rules Stablecoin legislation actively being developed in Congress; existing oversight by SEC, CFTC, state regulators
Stablecoin Rules No specific stablecoin regulation
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
Key Points
  • BCU introduced VASP regulations in 2024
  • Crypto income taxed at 12% as capital income under IRPF
  • Crypto not classified as legal tender; peso remains the national currency
  • Uruguay has a relatively stable economy and favorable fintech environment
  • AML/KYC requirements apply to registered VASPs