Singapore Tops Crypto-Friendly City Rankings: Transparent Rules and Infrastructure
Singapore ranked first in the 2026 global index of the 'most crypto-friendly cities', ahead of traditional financial centers such as London and New York. Asia-Pacific also performed strongly, taking six of the top 10 spots worldwide, showing that Asia's influence in attracting digital asset capital, entrepreneurs and infrastructure continues to rise.
The index was released earlier this month by Multipolitan, a platform focused on cross-border flows, and assessed global cities based on regulatory clarity, tax efficiency, institutional infrastructure and actual adoption.
Multipolitan CEO Nirbhay Handa said, 'Singapore's leadership reflects a deeper structural shift in global finance. Crypto competitiveness is increasingly determined not by speculation, but by regulatory predictability, operating infrastructure and capital efficiency.'
Besides Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei also made the global top 10. Multipolitan said this reflects the growing competitiveness of Asia-Pacific in digital assets, especially in licensing regimes, stablecoin and exchange-traded fund (ETF) frameworks, digital-native consumer bases and more competitive tax environments.
Low tax is no longer the only factor; regulation and infrastructure matter more
Multipolitan said low tax rates alone are no longer enough to sustain long-term crypto competitiveness. The best-performing cities usually combine transparent governance, reliable licensing pathways, institutional-grade infrastructure and strong everyday usage.
The platform called this the 'low tax, high credibility' model and said it distinguishes modern digital asset hubs from traditional financial centers. The latter may have mature financial systems, but higher compliance complexity can limit innovation, capital formation and ecosystem growth.
The index also emphasizes infrastructure that is already in place, not just policy announcements. Singapore's regulated stablecoin framework, Hong Kong's spot virtual asset ETFs, Dubai's licensed virtual asset service provider ecosystem, and merchant-government payment integration are all important factors supporting city rankings.
The index also noted that the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced a framework in 2023 for stablecoins issued locally. The framework is not yet formal law, but the authorities have said legislation will follow.
Multipolitan said Hong Kong continues to consolidate its position through exchange licensing and the expansion of institutional products. Thailand is gradually building a competitive edge through regulatory sandboxes and tax exemptions. Dubai ranks highly because of zero personal income tax and a relatively clear regulatory infrastructure under the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
