🇬🇬 Guernsey

Guernsey is positioned as a trusted, agile, and forward-thinking jurisdiction for digital financial innovation with a strong commitment to preventing financial crime. The GFSC regulates the finance sector including digital finance initiatives.

Overview

Statuscrypto_friendly
Risk Score15/100 (Low Risk)
Regioneurope
CurrencyGBP
Adoption Rank#21

Tax Information

Capital Gains (Personal)0% (no capital gains tax in Guernsey)
Capital Gains (Corporate)0% standard rate (10% for regulated finance, 20% for specific sectors)
VAT on CryptoNo

Licensing & Registration

RequiredYes
RegulatorGFSC
FrameworkLending, Credit and Finance (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2022 (LCF Law)
Easemedium
Cost (USD)Application: £5,000 (non-exchange VASP) to £50,000 (exchange/stablecoin issuer); Annual: £7,500 to £65,000. As of 1 Jan 2026. USD equivalent approx. $6,300–$63,000 application / $9,500–$82,000 annual (at ~1.27 GBP/USD).

Licensing is overseen by the GFSC with a focus on fiduciary and digital finance businesses.

Enforcement Activity

Level: Moderate

GFSC has enforced AML compliance and taken action against unregistered service providers.

DeFi, Stablecoins & NFTs

Status: regulated

DeFi activities are regulated under the digital finance framework to ensure compliance with AML and financial crime prevention.

Stablecoins

Status: Unknown

NFTs

Status: no_rules

No NFT-specific regulation. NFTs assessed on characteristics under existing law.

Mining

LegalYes
Electricity Cost$0.18/kWh
Renewable Energy30%
Infrastructuregood

Mining is legal with moderate electricity costs and a good infrastructure environment. Renewable energy accounts for 30% of electricity.

Geopolitical Risk

Stabilitystable
SanctionsNo
Corruption Index75/100
Banking Accessopen

Guernsey offers a stable political environment with strong regulatory frameworks and open banking access for crypto businesses.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cryptocurrency legal in Guernsey?

Guernsey is positioned as a trusted, agile, and forward-thinking jurisdiction for digital financial innovation with a strong commitment to preventing financial crime. The GFSC regulates the finance sector including digital finance initiatives.

Are VASPs licensed in Guernsey?

Yes, licensing is required for VASPs.

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Last reviewed: 2026-06-01 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map

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