Myanmar’s parliament, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, formally passed an anti-online scam bill on Tuesday, July 28, setting penalties of up to life imprisonment for cryptocurrency fraud and allowing the death penalty in cases involving forced participation in scam operations.
Under the bill, crypto fraud carries prison terms ranging from 10 years to life. People who use violence, torture, or unlawful detention to force others to carry out online scams face 10 years to life imprisonment, or the death penalty. If those acts lead to death, the punishment must be death.
The legislation marks Myanmar’s latest move against the scam industry. In recent years, scam compounds across Southeast Asia have expanded rapidly, with large numbers of people forced to take part in cryptocurrency and investment fraud.
Passed after both chambers resolved differences
According to Myanmar state media outlet Global New Light of Myanmar, the bill passed unanimously after the country’s two parliamentary chambers settled differences between their versions. A draft of the legislation had been published in May.
The core provisions disclosed so far include:
- Cryptocurrency fraud: 10 years to life imprisonment
- Using violence, torture, or unlawful detention to force others into fraud: 10 years to life imprisonment, or death
- If the conduct causes death: mandatory death penalty
- Operation of scam centers: also subject to criminal liability
Aye Chan, a lower house lawmaker, told The Straits Times that the final version retained the death penalty clause and that key provisions did not change materially from the May draft.
Scope widened from investment fraud to scam-center operations
The report says Myanmar’s scam industry did not emerge overnight. From the draft stage in May to the bill’s final passage, the scope of the measure expanded from targeting “investment fraud” to covering the operation of online scam centers, while penalties also became harsher.
BlockTempo said in an earlier report that scam compounds in Myanmar are already closely tied to cryptocurrency flows. Two addresses linked to Myanmar’s KK compound received nearly $100 million in crypto, a sign that scam proceeds have already moved into digital form.
Signing date and effective date still unknown
The bill’s presidential signing date has not been announced, and no formal effective date has been released. The final revised text has also not been made public, leaving the exact wording of the cryptocurrency-related penalty provisions still awaiting official confirmation.
A new reference point for Southeast Asia
Myanmar is described in the report as one of the core hubs of Southeast Asia’s scam industry. From Vietnam to the Philippines, scam compounds have spread across the region. The country’s latest legislative move may now serve as a reference point for neighboring governments as they shape anti-scam policy.
The report also compared the Myanmar bill with Taiwan’s Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act. Under that comparison, Taiwan’s maximum penalty for fraud is a NT$100 million fine, while Myanmar’s new bill includes life imprisonment and the death penalty.