Laos

Laos has no specific cryptocurrency regulation.

Overview

StatusRestricted
Risk Score55/100 (High Risk)
Regionsoutheast asia
CurrencyLAK

Tax Information

Capital Gains (Personal)Unclear
Capital Gains (Corporate)20% CIT
VAT on CryptoNo
Staking TaxUnclear
Airdrop TaxUnclear

No crypto-specific tax guidance available.

Licensing & Registration

RequiredYes
RegulatorBOL + MTC
FrameworkBOL Decision No. 777.BOL (December 15, 2021) — Trial Operation of Cryptocurrency Trading Platform; MTC Decision No. 888.MTC (November 9, 2021) — Experimenting with Digital Asset Transactions. Government plans to phase out mining licenses by Q1 2026.
Easevery_complex

Enforcement Activity

Level: Low

No detailed enforcement information available

CBDC

StatusResearch
NameLaos CBDC
Issuing AuthorityBank of the Lao P.D.R
Modelretail
TechnologySoramitsu

AML / KYC

KYC RequiredYes
Travel RuleNo
FATF MemberNo
FATF Statusgrey_list
FATF BodyAPG
Suspicious-Activity ReportingNo

DeFi, Stablecoins & NFTs

Status: Restricted

Stablecoins

Status: Restricted

NFTs

Status: unregulated

Mining

LegalNo
Electricity Cost$0.045/kWh
Renewable Energy70%
Infrastructurefair

Government plans to phase out mining licenses by Q1 2026, making mining increasingly restricted. Electricity costs are low and renewable energy share is high, but infrastructure is moderate.

Geopolitical Risk

Stabilitymoderate
SanctionsNo
Corruption Index29/100
Banking Accessrestricted
Sanctions Program ActiveNo

Risk Factors

Laos has moderate political stability with some governance challenges. It is not under international sanctions but has restricted banking access for crypto businesses. Corruption remains a concern with a low CPI score.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cryptocurrency legal in Laos?

Laos has no specific cryptocurrency regulation.

What is the FATF status of Laos?

Laos is classified by FATF as: grey_list.

Are VASPs licensed in Laos?

Yes, licensing is required for VASPs.

What is the AML/KYC regime in Laos?

KYC is mandatory for crypto businesses.

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Last reviewed: 2026-09-17 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map

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