As digital asset costs had been hitting new historic highs in 2021, many jurisdictions have been more and more adopting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and different crypto-based devices.
Along with Bitcoin crossing $68,000 for the primary time since inception, the 12 months of 2021 might be remembered for Bitcoin’s historic adoption as authorized tender in El Salvador. The world’s first-ever Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) was additionally inaugurated in 2021, alongside many different benign regulatory developments world wide.
As we look again at notable world regulatory moments in 2021, Cointelegraph has picked a few of the most memorable cases of pleasant crypto regulation.
1. El Salvador: The primary nation on this planet to undertake Bitcoin as authorized tender
The Republic of El Salvador, the smallest nation in Central America, officially adopted Bitcoin as authorized tender on Sept. 7, 2021, changing into the world’s first nation to take action. Bitcoin was trading at round $47,000 on the day of Bitcoin’s official adoption within the nation.
El Salvador’s daring Bitcoin transfer took a number of months to materialize as president Nayib Bukele had first introduced the “Bitcoin Law,” laying the groundwork for BTC’s utilization as an official cost technique alongside america greenback in June 2021. The Salvadoran Legislative Meeting subsequently passed the law, which amassed a supermajority of 62 out of 84 votes.
Generally known as the “Land of Volcanoes,” El Salvador additionally moved to deploy its volcanic exercise to generate new Bitcoin. In September, president Bukele teased a Bitcoin mining plant powered by volcanic geothermal power in El Salvador, marking a significant case for chopping BTC’s carbon footprint. Quickly after, Bukele upped the stakes even additional when he introduced plans to establish an entire Bitcoin city, funded by BTC bonds.
Whereas the crypto group celebrated El Salvador’s BTC drive, world monetary authorities just like the International Monetary Fund have expressed skepticism about the government’s move into crypto.
Related: El Salvador buys 21 Bitcoin to celebrate Dec. 21, 2021
Some individuals in El Salvador have been additionally sad with the Bitcoin Legislation, with some protesting against Bitcoin adoption as a consequence of considerations over its unstable value. A number of the protests even resulted in destroyed Bitcoin ATMs.
2. The United Arab Emirates: CZ’s new house
The UAE emerged as one essentially the most crypto-friendly international locations in 2021 as authorities in its capital metropolis of Dubai have been ramping up the efforts to allow the crypto trade’s improvement.
In January, the Dubai Monetary Companies Authority (DFSA) introduced plans to establish a complete crypto regulatory framework as a part of its 2021 marketing strategy. The DFSA subsequently issued several regulatory approvals, together with one for a significant Canadian funding product, The Bitcoin Fund, in October. DFSA has additionally been working on regulations for funding automobiles like safety and by-product tokens.
UAE regulators additionally got here up with a number of preparations to officially allow and support crypto trading in several free economic zones in Dubai. The nation has additionally been making strides in nonfungible tokens (NFT) adoption as its postal operator issued NFTs in November to commemorate the federation’s fiftieth Nationwide Day.
In late 2021, the Dubai World Commerce Centre Authority mentioned it can grow to be a comprehensive zone and regulator of cryptocurrencies, merchandise, operators and exchanges.
Associated: Binance joins fresh crypto hub by Dubai World Trade Centre
The UAE is changing into a pretty vacation spot for a few of the world’s largest cryptocurrency firms and trade figures. In October, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao reportedly bought his first house within the “very pro-crypto” Dubai. The Chinese language-Canadian enterprise government had beforehand claimed that he did not own any real estate as of April 2021.
— CZ Binance (@cz_binance) December 21, 2021
3. Canada: Crushing the worldwide Bitcoin ETF race
Canada has earned a spot on the record of 2021’s most crypto-friendly international locations the second its foremost securities regulator cleared the takeoff of the world’s first physically-settled Bitcoin ETF in the beginning of the 12 months.
Launched by Canadian funding agency Goal Investments in mid-February, the Goal Bitcoin ETF saw an explosive debut with $564 million in belongings underneath administration in simply 5 days after beginning buying and selling.
Canada continued main the worldwide Bitcoin ETF race as Constancy Canada launched its Fidelity Advantage Bitcoin ETF and the eponymous mutual Bitcoin ETF fund in December.
Canada’s Bitcoin ETFs aren’t simply out there for retail buyers but in addition present important advantages for individuals who open government-registered funding accounts, such because the Tax-Free Financial savings Accounts.
Associated: Crypto poses no big risk to economy so far, Bank of Canada official says
On high of crypto ETF dominance, Canada has been working to introduce extra readability to its crypto laws lately, officially recognizing crypto firms as money service businesses in 2020. In late 2021, Canada’s Monetary Transactions and Studies Evaluation Centre of Canada issued registration for Binance’s local subsidiary, Binance Canada Capital Market.
Canada is ranked the fourth largest nation by way of Bitcoin mining energy, accounting for 9.6% of the entire world hash fee, according to information from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electrical energy Consumption Index.
4. Singapore: Crypto is ‘funding in a potential future,’ says regulator
Singapore continued to be one of many world’s greatest hubs for cryptocurrency exchanges and blockchain enterprises in 2021 because the nation’s regulators have accomplished an incredible deal to nurture the trade.
In November, Singapore welcomed two new institutional-grade Bitcoin funds launched by Fintonia Group, an organization regulated by the Financial Authority of Singapore (MAS). Beforehand, MAS officially allowed companies just like the Australian crypto alternate Unbiased Reserve and DBS Financial institution’s brokerage arm, DBS Vickers, to offer digital cost token companies within the nation.
DBS Financial institution, Singapore’s largest retail and industrial financial institution, is among the largest native firms to make a foray into the crypto trade prior to now 12 months. The agency posted tenfold crypto volume growth in Q1 2021 after launching its crypto buying and selling platform, DBS Digital Change, in late 2020.
Associated: Singapore to position itself as a global crypto center, says regulator
Some firms with shut ties to the federal government of Singapore are reportedly massive followers of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Robert Gutmann, CEO of New York Digital Funding Group, claimed in March that Singaporean government-backed holding firm Temasek is a major Bitcoin investor.
Singapore can be among the many world’s high nations by way of retail crypto adoption as 43% of Singaporeans personal crypto, according to one survey.
Regardless of native authorities welcoming the crypto trade improvement, a lot of crypto companies have apparently didn’t receive licenses to operate in Singapore in 2021.
5. Gibraltar: New goal for Huobi alternate after Chinese language crackdown
Gibraltar, a British Abroad Territory and one of many smallest international locations on this planet, has been rising as a pretty location for crypto in 2021.
In November, Gibraltar welcomed Bullish, a brand new cryptocurrency alternate launched by the EOS.IO protocol developer, Block.one. The corporate’s native department beforehand obtained a distributed ledger know-how license from the Gibraltar Monetary Companies Fee (GFSC).
In September, the GFSC additionally approved operations of Zubr Change Restricted, a brand new native crypto alternate enterprise launched by Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto giant FTX.
The federal government of Gibraltar has been strengthening its ties with world blockchain and crypto trade gamers. In March, Gibraltar’s minister for digital and monetary companies, Albert Isola, became an envoy for the International Blockchain Enterprise Council, a significant trade affiliation.
Associated: Gibraltar’s government plans to bridge the gap between public and private sectors with blockchain
A number of the world’s greatest crypto exchanges entered Gibraltar in 2021 amid rising assist from regulators.
Following approval from the GFSC, crypto alternate Huobi has reportedly been transferring its spot trading operations to its Gibraltar-based affiliate following China’s cryptocurrency crackdown. In response to the agency, Chinese language operations made up at least 30% of its total trading volumes and revenues earlier than the ban.
Crypto-friendly jurisdictions of 2021: Honorable mentions
El Salvador, the UAE, Canada, Singapore and Gibraltar are, in fact, not the one international locations that served examples of benign crypto regulation in 2021.
Amongst different more and more crypto-friendly jurisdictions is Australia, which has been actively moving to adopt new crypto regulations and have become a significant location for crypto-related ETF listings this 12 months.
Liechtenstein, the world’s richest nation per capita, was the nation with essentially the most complete cryptocurrency tax coverage for the second 12 months in a row in 2021, as per a PwC report. Australia and Malta ranked second, adopted by Germany.
