Mozambique classifies cryptocurrencies as legal and treats them as property or financial assets under its general tax laws. There is no specific legislation dedicated to crypto assets, instead, existing tax principles are applied. While the Central Bank issued an advisory note in 2018 recommending caution, it did not ban cryptocurrency activities. The Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique (ATM) is responsible for governing crypto taxation, which falls under general frameworks such as the Personal Income Tax Code, Corporate Income Tax, and VAT legislation. For individual investors, income and capital gains derived from cryptocurrency are taxed under progressive personal income tax brackets, ranging from 10% to 32%, depending on the income level. Mozambique does not have a separate capital gains tax, nor does it offer any reduced rates or benefits for holding crypto assets for longer periods. Corporations engaging in crypto activities are subject to the standard corporate income tax rate of 32%. Both converting crypto to fiat currency and swapping one cryptocurrency for another are considered taxable events, with any gains subject to the applicable income tax rates. The standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate is 17%, but its specific application to crypto transactions remains unclear. Staking rewards are taxed as income at progressive rates (10-32%) upon their receipt. Mining is recognized as a business activity, making it subject to personal income tax (10-32%) or corporate tax (32%), in addition to other specific taxes like the Mining Production Tax. The deductibility of related business expenses for mining is not clearly defined. Profits and yields from Decentralized Finance (DeFi) activities are treated as income under general law, taxed at the respective progressive rates for individuals or the corporate rate for entities. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are considered property or financial assets, and their taxation follows general income and capital gains principles, as no specific NFT framework exists. There are no announced pending legislative reforms specifically targeting cryptocurrency taxation in Mozambique.
Tax Rates
| Effective individual rate | 10 |
| Capital gains tax | Included in personal income tax, 10-32% progressive |
| Income tax on crypto | 10-32% progressive for individuals, 32% for corporations |
| Corporate tax | 32% |
| VAT | 17% standard rate, application to crypto unclear |
Activity Taxes
| Staking | Taxed as income at 10-32% progressive rates upon receipt |
| Mining | Business income taxed at 10-32% or 32%, multiple mining-specific taxes apply |
| DeFi | Treated as income under general law, 10-32% progressive rates |
| NFTs | Treated as property/financial assets, no specific NFT framework |
Taxable Events
| Crypto → Fiat | Taxable as capital gain or income, 10-32% progressive |
| Crypto → Crypto | Taxable exchange event, 10-32% progressive rates apply |
Holding Period
| Holding period benefit | None, no reduced rate for longer holding periods |
Sources