Financial Repression Tracker

Rules that steer savings into government debt or hold returns below inflation, country by country.

Block · Real asset restrictions

Prohibition of cryptocurrency payments

What it is
Forbid using crypto assets as payment or prohibit payment providers from processing them while potentially leaving investment and trading lawful.
Why it counts
Requiring domestic payment money prevents alternative assets from becoming a parallel settlement and savings system.

When it was in force

  • Turkey: 2021 → now, in force
  • Indonesia: 2016 → 2018, historical; the rule may be older than the cited document; its end is not documented

2 examples

  1. Turkey

    2021 → nowIn force

    Crypto assets cannot be used directly or indirectly in payments.

    Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments, Official Gazette 31456, 16 April 2021, article 3Primary source
    “Crypto assets shall not be used directly or indirectly in payments.”

    tcmb.gov.tr (opens in a new tab)Checked: quote matched on the page by script

    Turkey today: index 50.7

  2. Indonesia

    2016 → 2018Historical

    The rule may be older than the cited document · Its end is not documented · As cited: 2016-2018 documented rules

    Payment-system and financial-technology operators were forbidden to process transactions using virtual currency.

    Bank Indonesia Regulations 18/40/PBI/2016 and 19/12/PBI/2017; Currency Act 7/2011Primary source
    “virtual currencies, including bitcoin, are not recognized as legitimate instrument of payment, therefore not allowed to be used for payment in Indonesia.”

    bi.go.id (opens in a new tab)Checked: quote matched on the page by script

Examples and their dates reviewed .