Is crypto legal in Belize? Regulation & rules (2026)

SI No. 162 of 2025 (effective 30 December 2025) introduced a structured FSC licensing regime for all digital-asset service providers in or from Belize, with AML/CFT obligations aligned to FATF standards. The regulations are explicitly transitional and expire upon commencement of the FSC (Amendment) Act, 2026, which Belize has now enacted.

Act No. 8 of 2023 defines a virtual asset as any digital representation of value that can be traded, transferred, or used for payment or investment, expressly including cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and NFTs. Unlicensed business involving virtual assets is a criminal offence under section 81 of the Act.

Any entity incorporated or registered under Belizean law that provides digital-asset services outside Belize is deemed to be providing those services from within Belize and must therefore be licensed, aligning Belize with FATF's travel-rule and VASP registration expectations.

Belize signed the OECD joint statement in November 2023 committing to implement the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and begin automatic information exchange with foreign tax authorities by 2027. Domestic legislation to collect CARF data from 1 January 2026 onwards was required by end-2025.

Belize levies no capital gains tax and taxes only locally sourced income. Crypto gains and staking income derived from foreign sources are therefore not subject to Belizean income tax for residents, making it a relatively favourable jurisdiction for crypto holders.

The FSC published a formal crypto-assets questionnaire on 21 May 2025, seeking industry and public input to shape the permanent regulatory framework anticipated under the 2026 Amendment Act; the FSC Director General highlighted ongoing capacity-building as recently as May 2026.