Myanmar’s military government has published the text of an Anti-Online Fraud Bill that imposes severe penalties for digital currency–related crimes, including lengthy prison terms and, in some cases, the death penalty.
According to the bill released by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, authorities framed the legislation as a response to widespread online fraud that they say threatens the country’s sovereignty and stability. The draft law classifies “digital currency fraud” as a serious offense punishable by a prison term ranging from ten years up to life, with provisions that could allow for capital punishment in the gravest cases.
The measure also sets out specific circumstances that could trigger the death sentence. Notably, those found responsible for the death of anyone who was forced or exploited into committing online fraud—for example, victims trafficked into scam operations—could face execution under the proposed provisions.
Observers say the penalties in the bill would rank among the toughest worldwide for crypto-related crime, reflecting growing regional alarm about organized scam centers. Authorities across Asia have been confronting operations that traffic and coerce people into running romance scams, fake investment schemes, “pig-butchering” frauds, and other online cons.
China has already taken extreme measures: state media reported that in January Chinese authorities executed 11 people tied to Myanmar-based scam centers involved in trafficking Chinese nationals. International law-enforcement cooperation has also increased: US, Chinese and Dubai officials announced arrests of more than 200 suspects and the closure of nine scam centers as part of coordinated operations earlier this year.
The timing of Myanmar’s proposal comes as the country’s politics remains turbulent. The military seized power in a 2021 coup, and the legislature did not reconvene until March 2026 following elections that outside observers described as neither free nor fair. The government indicated it will meet in early June and may consider the anti-fraud bill then.
The push against crypto scams reflects broader global priorities. An FBI report released in April found that Americans lost more than $11 billion to crypto-related scams in 2025 and over $20 billion to online fraud overall. The US administration has issued an executive order directing officials to target scam centers and cybercrime, and a US Attorney’s Office Strike Force is focusing on the largest scam compounds in Southeast Asia—working to identify and prosecute key organizers, including transnational criminal networks operating in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
As governments escalate legal and enforcement responses, human-rights and rule-of-law concerns remain. Critics warn that harsh penalties in countries with limited judicial independence can be misused, while victims of trafficking and coercion may need protective services and international support as well as criminal justice responses.
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