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South Africa vs Zimbabwe

Crypto regulation comparison

← Back to map | South Africa | Zimbabwe
South Africa

South Africa

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Legal
Restricted

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.

Zimbabwe has restricted cryptocurrency through its central bank. The RBZ banned financial institutions from processing crypto transactions in 2018. However, in a unique move, the RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG tokens) in 2023 as a store of value. Zimbabwe has a history of currency instability (hyperinflation, currency collapses) which drives informal crypto adoption for hedging and remittances.

Tax Type Capital gains
Tax Type None
Tax Rate 18% (effective max ~18%)
Tax Rate N/A
Exchanges Yes Yes
Exchanges No No
Mining No No
Mining Yes Yes
Regulator FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), SARB (South African Reserve Bank)
Regulator RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe)
Stablecoin Rules Crypto assets declared financial products under FAIS; stablecoins included
Stablecoin Rules No private stablecoin regulation; RBZ introduced gold-backed ZiG digital token as state currency
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
Key Points
  • RBZ banned banks and financial institutions from servicing crypto in 2018
  • RBZ issued gold-backed digital tokens (ZiG) in 2023 as a CBDC-like instrument
  • No licensing framework for crypto exchanges
  • Informal crypto adoption driven by currency instability and remittance needs
  • Crypto ownership itself is not explicitly criminalized for individuals
Sources
Sources