Suriname Compliance Report

Generated 2026-09-22

Comprehensive Framework

Regulatory Overview

Regulatory Status: Dedicated crypto/VA legislation, licensing regime, active enforcement
Key Regulator(s): FATF Recommendations and UN Security Council
Primary Legislation: The Customs Act commodity code (WTI) 1996 SB 1995 no. 111, as amended by SB 2004, The CARICOM External Tariff (CET) 2007, applied under the Customs Act, is the ta, No law specifically addressing cryptocurrencies, digital assets, blockchain tech, The Customs authorities, under the Customs Act WTI 1996, exercise fiscal duties, No legislative proposal to amend the AML/CFT Act or the Bank Act to include virt, AML/CFT Act, The Suriname Income Tax Act (Wet op de Inkomstenbelasting) does not mention cryp, There is no capital gains tax law in Suriname that explicitly covers digital ass, The Suriname Value Added Tax (VAT) Act (Wet op de Omzetbelasting) does not list, The Customs Act WTI 1996 and CET 2007 do not classify digital assets for import
Travel Rule: Not adopted
Tax Reporting: No specific capital gains tax regime for cryptocurrencies: Suriname does not have a comprehensive capital gains tax for individuals on all asset disposals. Capital gains for individuals are generally taxed only in specific circumstances (e.g., speculative gains from certain investments, or gains from the sale of substantial shareholdings).. Casual or Hobby Investors: If an individual buys and sells cryptocurrency infrequently and not as part of a business or speculative activity, it's possible such gains might not be subject to capital gains tax if they don't fall under the definition of "speculative gains" or "income from other sources" under existing income tax law. However, this is highly uncertain and subject to interpretation by the Belastingdienst.. Speculative Gains: If the buying and selling of cryptocurrency is deemed "speculative" or frequent enough to constitute a "business activity" by the tax authorities, then the gains could be subject to individual income tax rates.. For Businesses: If a company deals in cryptocurrencies as part of its regular business operations, any gains realized from the sale of cryptocurrencies would be considered part of its taxable business profit and subject to corporate income tax.. Receipt of Crypto as Payment/Salary: If an individual receives cryptocurrency as payment for services rendered or as salary, the fair market value of the cryptocurrency at the time of receipt would generally be considered taxable income.

Key Facts

aml None specifically for crypto custody. There is no specific licensing regime in Suriname for companies providing cryptocurrency or digital asset custody services. Suriname's existing financial services licensing laws (e.g., for banks, money transfer businesses) do not explicitly cover or define virtual asset custody as a regulated activity. Regulatory Reference (Indirect): The FATF Mutual Evaluation Report for Suriname (published in 2020 and subsequent follow-up reports) indicates that Recommendation 15 (which addresses Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers) has significant deficiencies. Suriname has been rated as "Non-Compliant" or "Partially Compliant" with this recommendation, specifically noting that there is no legal or regulatory framework for the licensing, registration, or supervision of VASPs for AML/CFT purposes. FATF Mutual Evaluation Report of Suriname (2020): https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/fatf-gafi/en/countries-regions/s-t/suriname/documents/mer-suriname-2020.html (Look specifically at ratings for R.15 and findings related to VASPs). No specific rules. Given the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework for crypto custodians, there are no explicit mandates or guidelines requiring the segregation of client digital assets from the custodian's own assets. None. There are no specific insurance or bonding requirements for entities providing crypto custody services in Suriname. None. No specific regulations or mandates exist regarding the use of cold storage (offline storage) for digital assets held in custody. No specific definition. Suriname's existing laws do not define what constitutes a "qualified custodian" in the context of digital assets.
enforcement Developing Regulatory Framework: Suriname is still in the early stages of developing a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. The Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are the primary financial regulators, but their focus has largely been on issuing warnings, conducting risk assessments, and working towards future legislation, rather than active enforcement against specific entities with public penalties. Focus on Warnings and Risk Advisory: The Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS) has, on multiple occasions, issued warnings to the public about the risks associated with investing in or using cryptocurrencies, emphasizing their volatile nature, lack of legal tender status, and potential for fraud and money laundering. These are advisories, not enforcement actions against specific entities. International Recommendations (FATF): Suriname, like many countries, is subject to recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT) for virtual assets. While these reports assess a country's progress, they do not detail specific domestic enforcement actions against individual entities. Lack of Publicly Disclosed Cases: Significant enforcement actions, especially those involving penalties and specific outcomes, are typically publicized by financial authorities to deter future violations. The absence of such public disclosures from the CBvS, the FIU, or major news outlets indicates that such actions have not occurred or have not been made public within the specified timeframe. Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS): The central bank, responsible for monetary policy, financial stability, and supervision of financial institutions. It has issued warnings regarding cryptocurrencies. Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Suriname: Responsible for receiving, analyzing, and disseminating suspicious transaction reports related to money laundering and terrorist financing. They would be involved in investigating crypto-related illicit financial activities. Centrale Bank van Suriname Official Statements: The CBvS periodically issues press releases and statements regarding financial sector developments, including warnings about unregulated financial products like cryptocurrencies. Searching their official website (www.cbvs.sr) would show general advisories, but not enforcement actions. FATF Reports: The FATF evaluates countries' AML/CFT frameworks, including for virtual assets. Suriname's evaluations discuss its legal framework development but not individual enforcement actions.
general Approach: Primarily none (for direct, comprehensive regulation of virtual assets as financial products), combined with strong public warnings and an emphasis on existing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CFT) frameworks for traditional financial institutions. There is no specific legislation governing virtual assets or Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). Status: Cryptocurrencies are not recognized as legal tender or regulated financial instruments. Role: The primary financial regulator responsible for monetary policy, financial stability, and supervision of banks and financial institutions. They have issued official warnings regarding virtual currencies. URL: https://www.cbvs.sr/ (Official website - statements often found under news/press releases) Role: Responsible for receiving, analyzing, and disseminating suspicious transaction reports (STRs) related to money laundering and terrorism financing. While not specifically regulating crypto, its mandate applies to any financial activity falling under AML/CFT laws. URL: Information is often part of the Ministry of Finance or international bodies like CFATF reports. Direct FIU-SR website might be less accessible publicly for policy documents. Wet ter voorkoming en bestrijding van witwassen en terrorismefinanciering (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prevention Act) Date: Latest amendments typically around 2020 (or subsequent updates).
licensing Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBS): The central bank is the primary financial regulator in Suriname and has issued official statements regarding cryptocurrencies. Neither a specific licensing nor a specific registration regime for VASPs exists. The CBS has maintained a cautious stance, primarily focusing on warning the public about the risks associated with virtual assets (volatility, scams, lack of consumer protection, money laundering risks). There are no specific licenses or permits issued by the CBS or any other Surinamese authority explicitly for operating a crypto exchange, providing crypto custody, or processing crypto payments as distinct from traditional financial services. No specific crypto-related licenses are required because the legal framework for virtual assets is currently absent. However, this does not imply a "free pass." If an entity's operations begin to resemble traditional financial services (e.g., taking deposits, issuing financial instruments, providing lending services that involve fiat currency or carry financial risk) it could potentially fall under existing financial services laws and require traditional banking, money transfer, or investment licenses from the CBS. This would be determined on a case-by-case basis by the CBS. Mandatory. Even without a specific crypto law, Suriname, as a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and generally following FATF Recommendations, has robust AML/CFT legislation. Any entity dealing with significant financial transactions, including those involving virtual assets that can be converted to fiat or used for value transfer, would be expected to comply with Suriname's AML/CFT laws.
securities Cryptocurrency and digital asset activities in Suriname are not subject to a comprehensive, dedicated regulatory framework as of 2025–2026; no specific crypto-asset licensing regime exists, and no authority has been formally designated as the crypto regulator under a standalone digital asset law. Suriname: Ninth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Suriname in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2025 Issue 097 (2025) The Central Bank of Suriname (Centrale Bank van Suriname, CBvS) exercises regulatory authority over financial institutions and payment systems, which may extend to certain digital asset activities if characterized as financial services, but no dedicated crypto-asset license has been created or granted to any entity. Suriname: Ninth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Suriname in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2025 Issue 097 (2025) The Government of Suriname (GOS) has taken steps toward improving the broader financial and anti-money laundering (AML) framework, including legislative reforms pursued in cooperation with international partners such as the IMF, but these efforts do not yet specifically address virtual asset service providers (VASPs) or digital asset securities. 1 Executive Summary The Government of Suriname (GOS) ... No entity has been licensed to conduct cryptocurrency exchange, custody, or digital asset securities business in Suriname; the practical reality is that such activities operate in a legal gray zone, and market participants face uncertainty regarding their regulatory status. Suriname: Ninth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Suriname in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2025 Issue 097 (2025) Suriname is not a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) but is subject to FATF-style evaluations through its membership in the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), and the IMF has urged Suriname to strengthen its AML/CFT framework, including for emerging financial technologies. 1 Executive Summary The Government of Suriname (GOS) ... Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the FATF-style regional body for the Caribbean, and is subject to mutual evaluations by that body; the IMF has noted that Suriname's AML/CFT framework requires strengthening, particularly in relation to supervision and enforcement. 1 Executive Summary The Government of Suriname (GOS) ... There is no dedicated "Virtual Asset Service Provider Act" or equivalent legislation in Suriname, and no draft bill on digital assets has been publicly presented as of 2025–2026. Suriname: Ninth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Suriname in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2025 Issue 097 (2025) The IMF's 2025 country report for Suriname (IMF Staff Country Report Volume 2025 Issue 097) notes that the financial sector in Suriname remains underdeveloped and that reforms are ongoing; the report does not identify any crypto-specific regulation as a completed or pending reform. Suriname: Ninth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Suriname in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2025 Issue 097 (2025)
stablecoin Reference: Statements and press releases from the CBvS, which often emphasize the risks of investing in unregulated digital assets. For example, advisories can be found on their official website (though specific stablecoin advisories might not be distinct from general crypto warnings). Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS) Official Website: https://www.cbvs.sr/ (Navigating to "Nieuws" or "Publicaties" might show relevant advisories, typically in Dutch). No Explicit Classification: Suriname does not have specific legislation classifying stablecoins. E-money/Payment Tokens: If a stablecoin functions purely as a medium of exchange, maintains a stable value, and is redeemable at par, it might conceptually fall under the purview of e-money regulations if the existing laws were broadly interpreted. However, Suriname's current e-money framework (if any exists) is unlikely to explicitly cover distributed ledger technology (DLT) based assets. Securities: If a stablecoin offers any form of dividend, interest, or represents an ownership interest in a pool of assets in a way that resembles an investment contract, it could potentially be viewed as a security under the Wet op het Toezicht op de Effectenhandel 1999 (Securities Trading Supervision Act 1999). However, this would require a specific determination by the regulator. Unregulated Digital Asset: In practice, most stablecoins (and cryptocurrencies) in Suriname would likely be considered unregulated digital assets outside the traditional financial system. No Specific Requirements: Given the lack of specific stablecoin legislation, there are no explicit reserve requirements for stablecoin issuers in Suriname. Implied Requirements (Hypothetical): If a stablecoin were ever to be classified as e-money, general e-money regulations would likely require full backing of customer funds in segregated accounts. However, this is speculative for stablecoins.
status Cryptocurrency is not expressly prohibited in Suriname, but there is no dedicated legal framework that legalizes or regulates virtual assets as of 2025–2026, leaving the sector in a legal gray area. No license can currently be obtained for crypto-related activities because no licensing category exists under Surinamese law; no entity has been licensed to operate a crypto exchange, custodian, or wallet provider. The practical reality is that crypto activity operates informally and unregulated, with no official guidance on AML/KYC obligations, consumer protection, or taxation for digital assets. Tax authorities have not issued any guidance on how virtual assets are treated for income tax, capital gains tax, or VAT purposes, creating significant uncertainty for businesses. The Customs Act commodity code (WTI) 1996 SB 1995 no. 111, as amended by SB 2004 no. 79, governs customs and import duties but does not classify or regulate cryptocurrencies as goods or financial instruments Suriname - Customs Regulations. The CARICOM External Tariff (CET) 2007, applied under the Customs Act, is the tariff schedule for imports and does not reference digital assets or virtual currencies Suriname - Customs Regulations. No law specifically addressing cryptocurrencies, digital assets, blockchain technology, or virtual currency service providers has been enacted, proposed, or published in Suriname's Official Gazette as of the latest available information Suriname - Customs Regulations. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), which is a FATF-style regional body, but its mutual evaluation reports provide no evidence of crypto-specific AML legislation or supervision in Suriname Suriname: Background and U.S. Relations | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.
tax No specific capital gains tax regime for cryptocurrencies: Suriname does not have a comprehensive capital gains tax for individuals on all asset disposals. Capital gains for individuals are generally taxed only in specific circumstances (e.g., speculative gains from certain investments, or gains from the sale of substantial shareholdings). Casual or Hobby Investors: If an individual buys and sells cryptocurrency infrequently and not as part of a business or speculative activity, it's possible such gains might not be subject to capital gains tax if they don't fall under the definition of "speculative gains" or "income from other sources" under existing income tax law. However, this is highly uncertain and subject to interpretation by the Belastingdienst. Speculative Gains: If the buying and selling of cryptocurrency is deemed "speculative" or frequent enough to constitute a "business activity" by the tax authorities, then the gains could be subject to individual income tax rates. For Businesses: If a company deals in cryptocurrencies as part of its regular business operations, any gains realized from the sale of cryptocurrencies would be considered part of its taxable business profit and subject to corporate income tax. Receipt of Crypto as Payment/Salary: If an individual receives cryptocurrency as payment for services rendered or as salary, the fair market value of the cryptocurrency at the time of receipt would generally be considered taxable income. Mining/Staking Rewards: Income derived from cryptocurrency mining, staking, or similar activities would likely be treated as taxable income. If these activities are carried out professionally or systematically, they might constitute a business and be taxed accordingly. Tax Rates: Suriname uses progressive income tax rates for individuals. While specific up-to-date brackets are best confirmed with the Belastingdienst, the general principle is that higher incomes face higher rates. General indication (subject to change and confirmation): Rates typically range from 0% for lower incomes up to a maximum rate (historically around 38% for the highest brackets, as of 2024).
travel rule Not Adopted (for VASPs): Suriname's AML/CFT framework, as detailed in its 2019 Mutual Evaluation Report and 2021 Follow-Up Report, does not yet define or regulate Virtual Assets or Virtual Asset Service Providers. Without this fundamental recognition and regulatory framework, the specific requirements of the FATF Travel Rule (Recommendation 16, as applied to VASPs under Recommendation 15) cannot be effectively adopted or implemented. The CFATF MER for Suriname (2019) noted that the country had not conducted a risk assessment related to VAs and VASPs, nor had it put in place any legislation or regulation to define, license, register, or supervise them for AML/CFT purposes. The 2nd Enhanced Follow-Up Report & Technical Compliance Re-Rating (2021) continued to reflect this deficiency, stating that Recommendation 15 (New Technologies) remained "Non-Compliant" due to the absence of a legal framework for VAs and VASPs. Effective Date: There is no effective date for the Travel Rule as it has not been adopted for VASPs. Threshold Amounts: No specific threshold amounts for the Travel Rule apply to VASPs in Suriname. Which VASPs are Covered: VASPs are not explicitly covered by AML/CFT obligations in Suriname, as there is no legal framework defining or regulating them. Technical Implementation Requirements: There are no prescribed technical implementation requirements for the Travel Rule for VASPs. Penalties for Non-Compliance: Penalties specifically for Travel Rule non-compliance by VASPs do not exist, as VASPs are not currently subject to this regulation. While Suriname has general AML/CFT penalties for regulated financial institutions and DNFBPs, these would not apply to unregistered/unregulated VASPs concerning the Travel Rule.

Sources

This report is AI-generated from publicly available regulatory sources. Last updated: 2026-09-06. View full profile