How we rate legality
This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. The relevant regulators are named below. Verify the current position with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.
We rate each country and topic with one of five status labels, legal, legal with restrictions, restricted, banned, or unclear, based on primary regulatory sources and dated on the day we checked. We never guess a status, and where the position is contested we say so plainly, as of March 2026.
The five status labels
Every country and topic page carries one status. Legal means holding, buying, and selling crypto is permitted, usually subject to ordinary registration and tax rules. Legal with restrictions means it is permitted but with meaningful limits, for example licensing requirements or product bans for certain users. Restricted means significant barriers apply, such as banking limits or constraints on platforms. Banned means a general prohibition is in force. Unclear means the position is genuinely uncertain or contested and we will not force a cleaner label than the facts support.
The sources we rely on
We work from primary sources first, meaning the text of the law, regulations, and official guidance, and statements from the named regulator or tax authority. We use reputable secondary sources, such as established law firm analysis and recognised news reporting, only to find and corroborate primary material, never as a substitute for it. We name the regulator on every page so a reader can verify the position at its origin.
Dating every claim
Crypto law changes quickly, so a status is only as good as its date. Each legal or tax claim carries an as of date, and each page shows a last reviewed date. When we check a page and the position has not changed, we refresh the last reviewed date. When the position has changed, we update the status, the claim, and the dates together. A page without current dating is treated as out of date.
How we handle contested or uncertain positions
Where regulators disagree, where a law is passed but not yet in force, or where enforcement does not match the written rule, we describe the tension plainly rather than choosing a tidy answer. In those cases we use the unclear label or a restriction note and explain what is settled and what is not. Accuracy over coverage is the rule, so we would rather mark a position unclear than publish a confident status we cannot support.
What our ratings are not
A status is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not a prediction. We do not rate whether a crypto asset is a good or bad investment, and we never give price targets or buy and sell guidance. Our pages tell you what the rules appear to be and where to verify them. Always confirm the current position with the official regulator and a qualified local professional before acting.
Regulators and sources
Frequently asked questions
What do your legality statuses mean?
We use five labels, legal, legal with restrictions, restricted, banned, and unclear. Each describes how freely crypto can be held, bought, and sold in a country, based on primary sources and dated on the day we checked.
Where do you get your information?
We work from primary sources first, the text of laws, regulations, and official guidance, and statements from the named regulator. We use reputable secondary sources only to find and corroborate that primary material.
How often do you update a page?
We refresh the last reviewed date when we re check a page, and we update the status and claims whenever the underlying position changes. Every legal and tax claim carries its own as of date.
What if the legal position is unclear?
We mark it unclear and explain what is settled and what is not, rather than forcing a cleaner status than the facts support. Accuracy over coverage is our rule.
Is a status legal advice?
No. A status is general information and not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm the current position with the official regulator and a qualified local professional before acting.
Even a carefully dated status can fall out of date between reviews because crypto rules change frequently. Treat the as of date as the point of reference and confirm the current position with the official regulator before acting.