Talk:Legality of cryptocurrency by country or territory

British Gibraltar in Center Europe

How can british Gibraltar be in Center Europe, when Spain is in Southern Europe, and France in Western Europe? How can Spain be in Southern Europe being at the west of France when France is in Western Europe?

First a source may be given for any such used geographical classification. Later, common sense should apply... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.120.88.229 (talk • contribs)

Binary legality?

I am not to understand this will to classify Bitcoin either as legal or banned. Is such classification based on any source?

Does it help to understand applicable (and changing) regulation? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.120.88.229 (talk • contribs)

Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador no more correct

El Salvador does not accept Bitcoin anymore as legal tender Source: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/c4gpv776zd0o 186.72.109.218 (talk) 14:58, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

The map should be updated. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 186.72.109.218 (talk) 14:58, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

• I am not sure this is correct, we have been discussing this over at the main bitcoin article. Do we have RS to state it is no longer legal tender? We recently established at the bitcoin article that we were uncertain (at least this is my understanding of the consensus). Thanks Jtbobwaysf (talk) 06:03, 11 November 2025 (UTC)

  Here are some sources which says bitcoin stopped being a legal tender in El Salvador.

  El País (Cinco Días)

  https://cincodias.elpais.com/criptoactivos/2025-02-06/el-bitcoin-deja-de-ser-moneda-de-curso-legal-en-el-salvador-es-el-fin-de-un-criptoestado.html

  BBC News Mundo

  https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/c4gpv776zd0o

  SWI swissinfo (AFP)

  https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/el-bitc%C3%B3in%2C-la-apuesta-fallida-de-bukele-en-el-salvador/88814920

  El Universo

  https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/internacional/el-bitcoin-deja-de-ser-moneda-de-curso-legal-en-el-salvador-menos-de-4-anos-despues-de-ser-el-primer-pais-del-mundo-en-adoptarla-nota/

  Digital Watch Observatory

  https://dig.watch/updates/bitcoin-is-no-longer-legal-tender-in-el-salvador

  The Tico Times

  https://ticotimes.net/2025/02/02/el-salvador-abandons-bitcoin-as-legal-tender-after-failed-experiment

  ElSalvador.com

  https://www.elsalvador.com/h-noticias/h-negocios/gobierno-se-contradice-frente-al-fmi-sobre-las-compras-de-bitcoin/1233972/2025/ Sibshops (talk) 15:09, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

Proposed update to United Arab Emirates cryptocurrency regulation entry

I have a connection to NeosLegal, a UAE law firm that tracks virtual-asset licensing developments, so I am not editing the article directly. I am proposing this update for review by independent editors.

The United Arab Emirates entry currently appears to describe the position mainly as a “banking ban”. This seems incomplete because the UAE now has several regulator-specific virtual-asset frameworks, including VARA in Dubai, the DFSA regime in the DIFC, and ADGM/FSRA virtual-asset regulation.

Suggested replacement wording for the United Arab Emirates entry:

“The United Arab Emirates has developed several regulator-specific virtual-asset frameworks. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) regulates virtual assets and virtual asset service providers in Dubai, excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). In the DIFC, crypto-token activity is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) also has a virtual-assets framework overseen by its Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA).”

Suggested sources:

• VARA official rulebook introduction: https://rulebooks.vara.ae/rulebook/introduction-2
• VARA Law No. 4 of 2022: https://rulebooks.vara.ae/rulebook/law-no-4-2022-regulating-virtual-assets-emirate-dubai
• DFSA Crypto Token Regulation: https://www.dfsa.ae/crypto
• ADGM Digital Assets: https://www.adgm.com/business-areas/digital-assets

Optional supplementary source, if independent editors consider it useful as a maintained directory of licensed entities:

• NeosLegal UAE VASP License Tracker: https://neoslegal.co/uae-vasp-license-tracker/

I would appreciate review from independent editors on whether the UAE entry should be updated and how best to source the change. ChrisLegalResearch (talk) 10:35, 19 June 2026 (UTC)

 Done Section updated. I found a stronger IMF source and used wording based on that source rather than the proposed primary/regulator sources. ◦ Sibshops (talk) 18:44, 19 June 2026 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 11 August 2026

In the "Regulated" row for the United Arab Emirates, the table currently states that "As of October 2025" a defunct regulator (the Securities and Commodities Authority, since renamed) oversees virtual assets. Two changes are needed:

1) Change the sentence:

"As of October 2025, the United Arab Emirates regulated virtual assets through different authorities depending on jurisdiction and activity. The DFSA regulates virtual assets in the DIFC, the FSRA regulates virtual assets in ADGM, the Central Bank and Securities and Commodities Authority regulate virtual assets in the onshore market, and VARA regulates virtual-asset activity in Dubai, including the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre."

to:

As of 2026, virtual assets in the United Arab Emirates are regulated at federal level, at emirate level, and separately within the financial free zones. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025 renamed the Securities and Commodities Authority as the Capital Market Authority (CMA). It and Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2025, on the regulation of the capital market, entered into force on 1 January 2026.

In Dubai, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) regulates virtual-asset activity under Law No. 4 of 2022, which covers all zones of the emirate, including the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, but not the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). In the free zones, the Dubai Financial Services Authority regulates crypto tokens in the DIFC and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority regulates virtual assets in Abu Dhabi Global Market.

2) Add the following sentence at the end of the third paragraph of the same row, immediately after the sentence ending "...Crypto assets providers must be incorporated onshore within the UAE.":

Payment tokens, including stablecoins, are regulated separately by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates under the Payment Token Services Regulation (Circular No. C 2/2024), in force since 31 August 2024. The regulation sets out three categories of Payment Token Services: Payment Token Issuance, Payment Token Conversion, and Payment Token Custody and Transfer. Alberto AML (talk) 15:34, 11 August 2026 (UTC)

Question: It appears that the change is sourced to primary sources such as legislation and regulators. Would you be able to propose changes based on independent secondary sources such as IMF or other organizations such as media organizations to address possible WP:OR concerns? ◦ Sibshops (talk) 16:55, 11 August 2026 (UTC)

Thank you for raising this. The factual points in the proposed changes can also be supported by independent secondary sources, in addition to the legislation and regulator materials already cited.

In particular:

UAE regulatory structure: The IMF's 2025 Article IV report discusses the division of virtual-asset regulation in the UAE, including the separate regimes in the DIFC and ADGM under the DFSA and FSRA respectively, and the CBUAE's role in regulating virtual assets used for payment services. DLA Piper also describes the UAE framework as operating at federal and local-emirate levels and within the two financial free zones.

Sources: IMF - United Arab Emirates: 2025 Article IV Consultation; DLA Piper - The regulatory landscape for digital assets in the UAE

SCA becoming the Capital Market Authority and the 1 January 2026 effective date: Cleary Gottlieb's analysis of Federal Decree-Laws Nos. 32 and 33 of 2025 states that the laws entered into force on 1 January 2026 and that the Capital Market Authority became the legal successor to the Securities and Commodities Authority.

Source: Cleary Gottlieb - UAE Capital Markets Overhaul 2026: New Regulatory Framework for the Capital Market Authority

VARA, DIFC and ADGM: DLA Piper's UAE digital-assets regulatory overview states that VARA regulates virtual-asset activities in Dubai outside the DIFC, while the DIFC has its own regime administered by the DFSA and ADGM has its own regime administered by the FSRA. This supports the jurisdictional division described in the proposed amendment.

Source: DLA Piper - The regulatory landscape for digital assets in the UAE

CBUAE Payment Token Services Regulation: Secondary coverage also confirms that the Payment Token Services Regulation took effect on 31 August 2024 and regulates Payment Token Issuance, Payment Token Conversion, and Payment Token Custody and Transfer.

Sources: LexisNexis Middle East - UAE: New Stablecoin Rules Reshaped Payments and Banking; The Consulting Journal - UAE Stablecoin Rules Explained for Payment Businesses

We can revise the edit request to add these secondary sources alongside the existing primary citations, using the legislation and regulator materials primarily for the exact statutory and regulatory details. Would that address the WP concern? Alberto AML (talk) 09:37, 12 August 2026 (UTC)

Looking at the IMF source, it seems like the proposed text is further away from the IMF than what is currently in the article. ◦ Sibshops (talk) 12:24, 12 August 2026 (UTC)