In Myanmar, all cryptocurrency transactions are officially banned by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM), which deems them illegitimate currency and can impose criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Despite this prohibition, the Internal Revenue Department (IRD) applies general tax laws to profits and income generated from crypto activities. For tax purposes, cryptocurrencies are treated as intangible capital assets. The Internal Revenue Department (IRD) under the Ministry of Planning and Finance governs crypto taxation, applying provisions from the Capital-Gains Tax Law (2015) and the Income Tax Law (1974, amended 2019). A flat 10% Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is levied on the net gains from the disposal of capital assets, including crypto sales or exchanges. There is no distinction between short-term and long-term gains, nor are there any exemption thresholds. Income derived from activities like mining, staking, and airdrops is subject to the progressive individual income tax rates of 1% to 25%, based on the aggregated annual income, with crypto valued at its fair market value upon receipt. Businesses engaged in crypto trading are subject to a 25% corporate income tax rate. Additionally, a 5% Commercial Tax, similar to VAT, may apply to goods and services purchased using cryptocurrency. Converting crypto to fiat currency results in a 10% CGT on net profit. A crypto-to-crypto exchange is treated as two separate taxable disposals, with each leg of the transaction triggering a 10% CGT, valued in Myanmar Kyat. Specific crypto activities are taxed as follows: Staking rewards, mining proceeds, and yield farming income are taxed as ordinary income at the progressive rates of 1% to 25% upon receipt, based on their fair market value. Any subsequent gain from selling these assets is then subject to the 10% CGT. For Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), creators pay income tax (1-25%) on their primary sales, while collectors are liable for 10% CGT on gains made from reselling NFTs. A Draft Virtual-Asset Service Provider Bill was circulated in early 2025. This proposed legislation could introduce licensing requirements, transaction reporting obligations, and potentially withholding taxes on over-the-counter crypto swaps, signaling a possible shift in the regulatory landscape, even as the CBM maintains its prohibition stance.
Tax Rates
| Effective individual rate | 1 |
| Capital gains tax | 10% flat rate on net gains from asset disposal |
| Income tax on crypto | 1-25% progressive on mining, staking, airdrops, valued at FMV on receipt |
| Corporate tax | 25% on crypto trading business income |
| VAT | 5% Commercial Tax may apply to goods/services purchased with crypto |
Activity Taxes
| Staking | Ordinary income 1-25% at receipt, 10% CGT on subsequent sale gains |
| Mining | Ordinary income 1-25% at FMV on receipt, 10% CGT on later disposition |
| DeFi | Yield farming income 1-25%, redeemed interest triggers 10% CGT |
| NFTs | Creators pay 1-25% income tax on primary sale, collectors pay 10% CGT on resale gains |
Taxable Events
| Crypto → Fiat | 10% CGT on net profit from sale or exchange to fiat currency |
| Crypto → Crypto | Treated as two disposals, each triggers 10% CGT valued in kyat |
Holding Period
| Holding period benefit | None, no distinction between short-term and long-term gains |
Sources