Rules by country · Mexico

Mexico crypto rules: Ley Fintech, Banxico and SAT

By Joshua Baskin, founder · Reviewed October 23, 2026 · Sources

Key takeaway 1
Mexico’s Fintech Law (Ley para Regular las Instituciones de Tecnología Financiera) was published on March 9, 2018 and defines virtual assets.
Source: Cámara de Diputados: Ley Fintech
Key takeaway 2
Banco de México says virtual assets are not legal tender and limits how regulated financial institutions can use them.
Source: Banco de México

Laws change. This is a plain-English summary for learning, checked against official sources on October 23, 2026. It is not legal or tax advice; check the official source or a licensed professional before acting.

The rules

Not money: crypto is not legal tender in Mexico; the peso is.
Banks and fintechs: Banxico rules (Circular 4/2019) only let supervised institutions use virtual assets for internal operations, not to offer them to customers, unless authorised.
Anti-money laundering: regular dealing in virtual assets is a “vulnerable activity” under Mexico’s AML law (LFPIORPI), with identification and reporting duties above thresholds.
Taxes: SAT treats gains from selling crypto as taxable income (ISR); keep records of purchase cost and dates.

En español: empieza aquí.

Safety for Mexico

Scams arriving by WhatsApp and fake “investment advisers” are common. CONDUSEF publishes warnings about unauthorised financial entities. Never pay to withdraw.

Lesson game · earn XP

Check yourself: 3 quick questions

Perfect score = combo bonus. Each question returns in your spaced-repetition review.

Keep learning

Common questions

Is crypto legal in Mexico?

Owning it is not banned, but it is not legal tender and banks face limits.

Do I pay tax on crypto in Mexico?

Gains are generally taxable income under SAT rules.

Sources

Sources checked October 23, 2026. Rules change; check the official source before acting.

Education only. Not investment, tax or legal advice. We do not pick coins.