Crypto Restrictions: Where Bitcoin and Altcoins Are Banned or Limited

When we talk about crypto restrictions, government rules that limit or block the use of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins. Also known as cryptocurrency bans, these policies range from full prohibitions to strict licensing requirements that make trading nearly impossible for regular users. It’s not just about fear of decentralization—it’s about control, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and protecting national currencies.

Some countries, like Bolivia, the first nation to outlaw Bitcoin in 2014, banning all digital currencies to protect its peso, went all-in with a total ban. Others, like China, shut down mining and trading while launching its own state-controlled digital yuan (e-CNY) to replace decentralized crypto, chose a different path: replace, don’t just restrict. Then there’s Iran, where the government runs massive crypto mining farms to bypass U.S. sanctions, even as citizens face blackouts and strict personal use rules. And in Tunisia, a 2018 crypto ban never stopped trading—it just pushed it underground through P2P apps and cash deals.

These aren’t just headlines—they’re real-life constraints that affect how you buy, hold, or use crypto. If you’re in Nigeria, you now need SEC-approved exchanges. In Japan, only 21 licensed platforms can operate. In North Korea, crypto networks are targeted by U.S. sanctions for funding weapons. And in El Salvador, even though Bitcoin became legal tender, most businesses instantly convert it to dollars because people still don’t trust it as money.

What ties all these stories together? Crypto restrictions aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re shaped by politics, economics, and technology—and they’re changing fast. Some bans are crumbling under pressure. Others are getting tighter. Meanwhile, people keep finding ways around them. Below, you’ll find real cases of how crypto rules play out on the ground: from dead tokens tied to failed exchanges, to state-backed mining operations, to underground trading networks that refuse to die. These aren’t theoretical debates. They’re lived experiences—and they’re shaping the future of money.