Regional Guides
One page per region: regulatory environment, commonly used platforms, fiat on/off-ramp channels, KYC requirements, tax essentials, and safety notes — all with official sources.
Australia
Exchanges must register with AUSTRAC and comply with the AML/CTF Act.
Canada
Trading platforms must register with FINTRAC as an MSB (Money Services Business). Provincial securities regulators (e.g., OSC, BCSC) cover trading and derivatives.
European Union
The MiCA regulation fully took effect at the end of 2024, unifying crypto-asset regulation across the 27 member states: the CASP licensing regime and stablecoin reserve requirements come from MiCA (Regulation (EU) 2023/1114), while the travel-rule requirement to accompany crypto-asset transfers with originator and beneficiary information comes from Regulation (EU) 2023/1113. Check each platform's CASP licence in ESMA's CASP register.
Singapore
The MAS places digital payment token (DPT) services under the Payment Services Act (PSA) licensing regime; retail users can trade, but with marketing restrictions.
United Kingdom
The FCA regulates cryptoasset businesses: firms must register as a Cryptoasset Firm; selling derivatives to retail consumers is banned. The regulatory framework for stablecoins and staking continues to evolve.
United States
One of the more strictly regulated markets in the world: the SEC and CFTC divide oversight, and exchanges must register with FinCEN and comply with state-level licensing requirements (e.g., the NYDFS BitLicense). Compliant exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken) can be used normally; some global exchanges (other than Binance.US) may not provide services to US residents.
Regulatory and tax information changes frequently — always follow the latest announcements from each country's official agencies. This page is not legal or tax advice.