Vanuatu maintains a legal and regulated framework for cryptocurrency activities, overseen by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission. The jurisdiction has updated laws aligning with international standards to promote investor confidence and financial center integrity.
| Status | Legal |
| Risk Score | 37/100 (Moderate Risk) |
| Region | asia pacific |
| Currency | VUV |
| VAT on Crypto | No |
| Required | Yes |
| Regulator | VFSC |
| Framework | Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025 (VASP Act) |
| Ease | medium |
| Cost (USD) | $5,000 - $20,000 |
Licensing is governed under the VASP Act, requiring registration and compliance with AML standards.
No detailed enforcement information available
| Status | Research |
| Name | Vanuatu CBDC |
| Issuing Authority | Reserve Bank of Vanuatu |
| Model | retail |
| Technology | Soramitsu |
| KYC Required | Yes |
| Travel Rule | Yes |
| FATF Member | Yes |
| FATF Status | compliant |
| FATF Body | FATF |
| Suspicious-Activity Reporting | Yes |
Status: Legal
DeFi activities are legal and fall under the regulatory framework established by the VASP Act.
Status: regulated
Stablecoins are regulated under the existing virtual asset framework to ensure compliance and investor protection.
Status: unregulated
| Legal | Yes |
| Electricity Cost | $0.25/kWh |
| Renewable Energy | 15% |
| Infrastructure | fair |
Mining is legal but electricity costs are relatively high; infrastructure is developing.
| Stability | moderate |
| Sanctions | No |
| Corruption Index | 40/100 |
| Banking Access | moderate |
| Sanctions Program Active | No |
Risk Factors
Vanuatu is moderately stable with some risk from natural disasters and infrastructure limitations affecting crypto business.
Vanuatu maintains a legal and regulated framework for cryptocurrency activities, overseen by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission. The jurisdiction has updated laws aligning with international standards to promote investor confidence and financial center integrity.
Vanuatu 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: 2026-09-25 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map
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