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

Enacted 19 September 2024 and published in the Official Gazette on 27 September 2024, Law 20,345 grants BCU authority to supervise PSAVs, amends AML/CFT legislation to cover virtual assets, and introduces the category of 'decentralised-registry securities' (valores de registro descentralizado).

Law 20,345 and the BCU project split providers into Financial PSAVs (PSAVF — prior BCU authorisation required, minimum equity UI 1,500,000, sight deposit UI 50,000 at BCU, guarantee ≥ UI 2,000,000; stablecoins and tokenised securities fall here) and Non-Financial PSAVs (PSAVNF — SSF registration only, primarily AML/CFT obligations; Bitcoin-only services fall here).

On 16 March 2026 the SSF published a revised PSAV regulatory project (second public consultation, comments due 13 April 2026) covering authorisation criteria, capital requirements, conduct rules, cybersecurity standards, and consumer protection; the project is pending final promulgation.

PSAVs already operating when the implementing rules enter into force may continue activity while seeking authorisation; the deadline to file applications is 31 December 2026, with full compliance required by 30 June 2027.

The BCU regulatory project requires all PSAVs to strictly segregate client funds and virtual assets from proprietary assets; client crypto must not form part of the PSAV's insolvency estate, providing a baseline consumer-protection ring-fence.

Crypto is legal to hold and trade. The DGI applies general rules: IRPF 12% on capital income for resident individuals, IRAE 25% for companies; realisation principle applies; net-worth tax (IP) declarations required; no specific guidance on staking, airdrops, or mining.