The Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) are supervised by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), ensuring trustworthy and expert financial institutions with a duty of care towards clients.
| Status | Legal |
| Risk Score | 25/100 (Low Risk) |
| Region | caribbean |
| Currency | USD |
| Capital Gains (Personal) | No specific guidance; BES tax regime applies |
| Capital Gains (Corporate) | No profit tax on BES-established entities; distributions are subject to revenue tax (opbrengstbelasting) |
| VAT on Crypto | No |
| Staking Tax | No specific guidance |
| Airdrop Tax | No specific guidance |
The BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba) have no profit tax. Individuals pay income tax at 29.4% up to USD 53,198 and 38.4% above (2026); there is no crypto-specific guidance on whether private crypto gains are taxable.
| Required | Yes |
| Regulator | AFM and DNB (joint) |
| Framework | Wet financiële markten BES (Wfm BES), Financial Markets (BES Islands) Act |
| Ease | medium |
| Cost (USD) | $25,000 - $150,000 |
Licensing and supervision are conducted jointly by AFM and DNB under the Wfm BES framework, requiring expertise and client care duties.
DNB enforcement applies.
| KYC Required | Yes |
| Travel Rule | Yes |
| FATF Member | Yes |
| FATF Status | compliant |
| FATF Body | FATF |
| Suspicious-Activity Reporting | Yes |
Status: regulated
DeFi activities are regulated under the broader MiCA framework and Dutch AML laws, requiring compliance with existing financial regulations.
Status: regulated
Stablecoins are regulated under MiCA and Dutch financial regulations, ensuring oversight and consumer protection.
Status: Unclear
MiCA provisions apply.
| Legal | Yes |
| Electricity Cost | $0.25/kWh |
| Renewable Energy | 10% |
| Infrastructure | fair |
Mining is legal but electricity costs are relatively high; infrastructure is fair given island conditions.
| Stability | stable |
| Sanctions | No |
| Corruption Index | 70/100 |
| Banking Access | open |
| Sanctions Program Active | No |
Risk Factors
As special municipalities of the Netherlands, these islands benefit from stable governance, EU-aligned regulations, and open banking environment. Key risks include natural disasters like hurricanes.
The Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) are supervised by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), ensuring trustworthy and expert financial institutions with a duty of care towards clients.
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba is classified by FATF as: compliant.
Yes, licensing is required for VASPs.
KYC is mandatory for crypto businesses.
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Explore IT Services →Last reviewed: 2026-09-09 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map
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