Singapore Tops Global Crypto-Friendly City Index, Regulatory Transparency and Infrastructure Key
Singapore ranked first in the 2026 Global Crypto-Friendly City Index, ahead of traditional financial hubs like London and New York. The Asia-Pacific region also performed strongly, occupying six of the top 10 spots, showing Asia's growing influence in attracting digital asset funds, entrepreneurs, and infrastructure.
The ranking, released earlier this month by Multipolitan, a cross-border flow research platform, evaluates cities based on regulatory clarity, tax efficiency, institutional infrastructure, and actual adoption.
Nirbhay Handa, CEO of Multipolitan, said: "Singapore's leading position reflects a deeper structural shift in global finance. Crypto competitiveness is increasingly determined not by speculation, but by regulatory predictability, operational infrastructure, and capital efficiency."
Besides Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei also entered the global top 10. Multipolitan said this reflects the growing competitiveness of the Asia-Pacific region in digital assets, particularly in licensing regimes, stablecoin and exchange-traded fund (ETF) frameworks, digital-native consumer groups, and more competitive tax environments.
Low Tax Rates No Longer Sufficient; Regulation and Infrastructure More Crucial
Multipolitan noted that low tax rates alone are no longer enough to sustain long-term crypto competitiveness. The best-performing cities typically combine transparent governance, reliable licensing pathways, institutional-grade infrastructure, and high daily usage levels.
The platform calls this a 'low tax, high confidence' model, which it believes differentiates modern digital asset hubs from traditional financial hubs. The latter, despite mature financial systems, may face higher compliance complexity, limiting innovation, capital formation, and ecosystem development.
The index also focuses on already-deployed infrastructure, not just policy announcements. Multipolitan cited Singapore's regulated stablecoin framework, Hong Kong's spot virtual asset ETFs, Dubai's licensed virtual asset service provider ecosystem, and merchant and government payment integration as key factors supporting city rankings.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) published a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuance in 2023, though it has not yet become formal law. However, the authority has indicated it will proceed with legislative work.
The Multipolitan index also shows Hong Kong continues to consolidate its position through exchange licensing and institutional product expansion. Thailand is gradually building competitive advantages through regulatory sandboxes and tax exemptions. Dubai also ranks highly due to zero personal income tax and relatively clear regulatory infrastructure under the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
