The Maximum Authority in The Middle East Country,the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) banned the Cryptocurrency Trading in the country.
In 2018 the Government of the small country with just 2.5 Million of people alerted that Bitcoin Trading was illegal in the country.
The Qatar Financial Centre didn't mention any reason why the Crypto Trading was getting banned,but looking for 2018 we can only think of the motive Qatar Central Bank said at time about BTC,considering it an "highly volatile asset" used for Financial crimes and hacking.
Qatar is small in dimension but the Fortune of the people who lives there is huge,betting to say,the most Richest Men of the planet have their business or houses there,where luxury infrastructures are implanted like no other place,even artificial islands... spectacular!
I personally think that small countries with small population have a lot to earn from crypto and ignoring it will only make them more delayed in future Blockchain and Crypto adoption. I know also that they have reasons to ban,but they must review it and study about how to benefit from Crypto trading or they are planning their own Digital Currency...just an speculation!
Countries like China banned any kind of crypto activities,except Mining,because they saw something there ..embraced the blockchain to become leaders on the Tech.