Top 5 Crypto Friendly Countries to Move to in 2025

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In this blog I will be discussing top 5 crypto friendly countries that crypto enthusiasts and millionaires looking to settle. 




I will rank countries from top to bottom, picking the best countries according to my research in terms of:

  • Crypto taxes
  • Ability to make purchases using cryptocurrencies
  • Bank friendliness towards crypto (whether you are able to cash out your cryptocurrencies to fiat using banks),
  • Residency and the ease of Citizenship
  • Life Quality of each country


#1: UAE (United Arab Emirates)

Crypto Taxes

Personal Income Tax: UAE does not impose any tax on individual personal income; therefore, residents are not taxed for your investment profits and trading income.

Corporate Tax: In UAE, if you have a company dealing with cryptocurrencies related activities exceeding AED 375,000 ($102,000) in business profits annually, then you are subjected to 9% corporate taxes. 


Crypto as a Payment Method

You can buy anything in the UAE using cryptocurrencies. Be it real estate, luxury items or anything you want. There are many merchants who accept crypto as a payment method in the UAE. Most accepted cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and XRP.


Bank Friendliness towards Crypto

In UAE, while there are some crypto friendly banks such as Emirates NBD, not all banks are crypto friendly, so you are not able to just cash out your crypto using any bank as you wish. 

But you can do this slowly, but not in large amounts, because large amounts can trigger AML (Anti Money Laundering) checks putting you in unnecessary trouble with lots of questions. 

For example, you can slowly cash out your trading profits or you can buy real estate using crypto, rent it out and earn monthly income in AED then transfer your earnings to banks. 


Residency

Residency is extremely easy in UAE if you are a millionaire in crypto. UAE has a 10-year golden Visa program that allows foreign investors to qualify for UAE residency easily. To qualify as an investor, you have to buy property worth at least 2 million AED. (Approximately $545,000)


Life Quality - 4 out of 5

While the UAE is best when it comes to safety, security, infrastructure and economic stability. However, the country is not the best choice when it comes to air quality and climate with high temperatures and pollution affecting outdoor activities and health. If you are a nature loving person, then UAE might not be for you.



#2: Switzerland

Crypto Taxes

In Switzerland, cryptocurrencies are subject to the following taxes:

Wealth Tax: Cryptocurrencies are considered assets and are subject to wealth tax, based on their value as of the end of the year. Based on most cantons, the wealth tax rate ranges from 0.3 - 1%, so it's not high.

Income Tax: If you earn income through cryptocurrencies such as trading, mining, airdrops, staking rewards, yield farming and liquidity mining using Defi protocols, all these are subject to income tax. 

Capital Gains Tax: Private investors are generally exempt from capital gains tax on cryptocurrency profits, provided they hold the assets for at least 6 months. However, if trading is considered a professional activity, it may be taxed as income.


Crypto as a Payment Method

Some cantons in Switzerland accept crypto payments. For instance, Ticino, located in the southern part of the country, has many cities where Bitcoin is widely accepted. However, in mountain cantons, using crypto for payments can be more challenging.


Bank Friendliness towards Crypto

Bank friendliness towards crypto is very high in Switzerland. Many Swiss banks offer services tailored to cryptocurrency businesses and investors, including accounts, payment processing, and investment products. 

However, there are certain conditions. For instance, if you are a non-resident, the process can be more complex, and you may need to deposit a significant amount - around half a million Swiss francs to open an account.


Residency and Citizenship

Residency is not easy in Switzerland, while Switzerland offers various residency options for investors, getting citizenship is super challenging in Switzerland unless you are an EU citizen. It's extremely hard if you are a non-EU citizen and be prepared to spend significant amounts of money in taxes every year even if you managed to get residency.


Life Quality - 5 out of 5

Switzerland is famous for its amazing quality of life, with top-notch healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The country is absolutely stunning, with the breathtaking Swiss Alps and a clean, low-pollution environment. If you are a nature loving person, then Switzerland is definitely for you!



#3: El Salvador

Crypto Taxes

Fortunately, El Salvador does not impose any capital gain taxes on cryptocurrencies, therefore you can trade, invest and sell your crypto without incurring any capital gain taxes.

This country’s tax system does not specifically target cryptocurrencies with harsh rules but only apply general tax laws, making El Salvador a favorable crypto friendly environment for investors.


Crypto as a Payment Method

Bitcoin is a legal tender in El Salvador. Therefore, many merchants accept cryptocurrency payments in Bitcoin and other stable currencies like USDC and USDT.


Bank Friendliness towards Crypto

The bank friendliness towards crypto in El Salvador is somewhat low, you can’t just turn millions worth of crypto into cash as you wish.

This is mainly because of the regulatory uncertainties towards crypto and compliance requirements However, the integration of crypto services by the banking sector in El Salvador is gradually improving.


Residency and Citizenship

Residency and citizenship are extremely easy in El Salvador.

El Salvador Freedom Visa Program allows individuals to get citizenship in the country when donated $1 million for the government in cash or in bitcoin. This program is designed to accept up to 1000 investors per year.

This freedom visa program is a direct path to obtain El Salvador citizenship. Once the donation is made, you easily get citizenship within a couple of weeks!


Life Quality - 3 out of 5

While the crime rate is moderately low with the new government, El Salvador is still a developing country with very moderate infrastructure and health care systems. 

The country also faces environmental pollution in high levels, but in my opinion, with the new government, El Salvador would improve immensely within the next 7 to 10 years making this country a very desirable place to settle long term. 



#4: Portugal

Crypto Taxes

Long term investors are exempted from capital gains tax on crypto assets if they have held those crypto assets for more than a year.

However, for professional traders, who engage in regular trading activities, their crypto profits are subjected to income tax of 28%.


Crypto as a Payment Method

Portugal generally accepts payments in cryptocurrencies. Cities like Lisbon and Porto widely accept purchases in crypto. While cities like Madeira and Caldas da Rainha are slowly embracing cryptocurrencies as payment methods.

However, Portugal is not very much open to crypto payments compared with countries like UAE and El Salvador, that said, the country is considered as the most crypto friendly EU countries.


Bank Friendliness towards Crypto

Bank friendliness towards crypto in Portugal is moderately fine. But not as high compared to Switzerland. 

Portugal banks have somewhat a mixed approach towards crypto. While there are some banks who accept crypto related transactions, others have become very cautious.


Residency and citizenship

Portugal offers the Golden Visa program, allowing non-EU nationals to obtain residency through investment. 

The program requires a minimum investment of €250,000 for donations to cultural or artistic projects or €500,000 for investments in qualifying businesses like venture capital or job creation. 

Unfortunately, under the updated visa program, investments in real estate is no longer an option.


Life Quality - 5 out of 5

Life quality is amazing in Portugal. The country is moderately safe, has excellent healthcare with minimal pollution levels. 



#5: Singapore

Crypto Taxes

Personal Income Tax: Singapore does not impose capital gains tax. This means crypto profits from trading or investments are not taxed if they are treated as capital gains.

Business Income Tax: Businesses engaging in crypto-related activities, such as trading or mining, are subject to corporate income tax at a flat rate of 17%.


Crypto as a Payment Method

Singapore is gradually opening up to accept payment in cryptocurrencies, crypto is accepted in tech savvy areas such as Orchard Road and Marina Bay.


Bank Friendliness towards Crypto

Bank friendliness in Singapore for crypto is moderately fine, you can easily cash out your crypto in some banks. Banks such as DBS and UOB are more open to cryptocurrencies, but if you are not a resident or do not have a business account, then it's extremely difficult. 


Residency and citizenship

Getting residency and citizenship in Singapore is extremely difficult. You can't just invest big amounts of money in cash or crypto and apply for residency. There is no such residency program that supports it. 

But in order to get residency, you can try the Global Investor Program (GIP), where you would have to invest SGD 2.5 million in a qualifying business or a new/existing business in Singapore that meets certain conditions like the need to demonstrate a substantial amount of track record in business or entrepreneurial ventures.


Life Quality - 5 out of 5

Singapore offers an amazing quality of life with top-notch healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The city is super safe, incredibly clean, and everything runs smoothly. While it can be a bit pricey to live in Singapore, the high standard of living definitely makes it worth it!



Final Thoughts

While there are other crypto friendly countries such as Malta, Malaysia, Georgia, Poland, Estonia etc., the above-mentioned countries are my top 5 list. And these countries are not as very crypto friendly as they are advertised in the media. 

Take Malta, for example. Although it’s often highlighted as one of the best crypto-friendly nations, opening a bank account there can be a challenging and frustrating experience. Practical matters like this are important to consider when evaluating a country’s crypto friendliness.

If you are a crypto millionaire or expect to become one in the future - the Cayman Islands, a British territory, is another excellent option. Residency is straightforward, crypto payments are widely accepted, there are no taxes, and its home to many wealthy individuals, providing valuable networking opportunities.


If you found this blog helpful or insightful, please consider sharing it with others who may benefit. Thank you for your support, and may God bless you.



Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and are not financial advice. The views here are just the author’s opinions. The crypto market is volatile, so be sure to do your own research before investing.


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