What is Vanuatu's FATF status?

Vanuatu is classified by FATF as: fsrb_only.

Are VASPs licensed in Vanuatu?

Yes — licensing is required for VASPs.

What is the AML/KYC regime in Vanuatu?

KYC is mandatory for crypto businesses.

Vanuatu

Vanuatu maintains a legal and regulated environment for cryptocurrency, overseen by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) which is finalizing legislative framework updates to enhance investor confidence and regulatory compliance.

Overview

Status	Legal
Risk Score	30/100 (Moderate Risk)
Region	asia pacific
Currency	VUV

Tax Information

VAT on Crypto

The regulatory page does not specify explicit tax rates or rules for cryptocurrency activities.

Licensing & Registration

Required	Yes
Regulator	VFSC / RBV
Framework	VFSC digital asset business licensing
Ease	medium
Cost (USD)	$5,000 - $20,000

Licensing is managed by the VFSC with a focus on strengthening oversight and compliance in line with international standards.

Enforcement Activity

Level: Low

No detailed enforcement information available

AML / KYC

KYC Required	Yes
Travel Rule	Yes
FATF Member	No
FATF Status	fsrb_only
FATF Body	APG
Suspicious-Activity Reporting	Yes

DeFi, Stablecoins & NFTs

Status: Unclear

No explicit information on DeFi regulation is provided by the VFSC.

Stablecoins

Status: unknown

No specific information on stablecoin regulations is provided on the regulator page.

NFTs

Status: unregulated

Mining

Legal	Yes
Electricity Cost	$0.25/kWh
Renewable Energy	15%
Infrastructure	fair

Mining is legal with relatively high electricity costs and moderate renewable energy usage. Infrastructure is fair, typical for a small island nation.

Geopolitical Risk

Stability	stable
Sanctions	No
Corruption Index	40/100
Banking Access	moderate

Risk Factors

natural_disasters
limited_infrastructure

Vanuatu is politically stable with moderate corruption and moderate ease of doing business. It faces natural disaster risks and has moderate banking access for crypto companies.