Australia’s ministerial department of Treasury reached out to the public to seek consultation regarding draft legislation that would exclude cryptocurrencies from being taxed as a foreign currency if passed. In a press release, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones highlighted the Australian government’s intent to exclude crypto assets from being regarded as a foreign currency for tax purposes. However, the legislation would have no impact on the collection of capital gains taxes on crypto held as investments. The public has been provided with 25 days, from Sept. 6 to Sept. 30, to share their opinion on the proposed legislation. If signed into …

What happens with unreported cryptocurrency? Not reporting Bitcoin despite the obligation to do so may have severe consequences for individuals’ lives and finances. The fine for making an incorrect declaration can be substantial and can even be considered a felony in certain circumstances. Individuals may wonder whether centralized cryptocurrency exchanges actively report to the IRS. Centralized exchanges do issue tax forms to the IRS. Likewise, the IRS has issued so-called John Doe Summons to exchanges, including Coinbase, to request people’s information and catch those who try to cheat on their tax obligations. But, such summonses are not the only law …

In another shift toward widespread crypto adoption in Argentina, citizens from the Mendoza Province can now pay government fees and taxes using cryptocurrencies. In an Aug. 27 statement, the Mendoza Tax Administration (ATM) described the new crypto payment service as fulfilling "the strategic objective of modernization and innovation," giving "taxpayers different means to comply with their tax obligations." The service officially began operation on Aug 24., but at this stage, it will only accept stablecoins such as Tether (USDT) for tax payments. Citizens can pay through the portal on the ATM website using any crypto wallets like Binance, Bybit, and …

According to local news outlet Yomiuri, Japan's Financial Services Agency is considering amending the virtual currency taxation system for corporate entities ahead of the country's 2023 tax reform. Proposed change includes removing capital gain liabilities for undisposed corporate crypto assets at the end of each taxation year, as well as changing the classification of virtual assets, so the maximum capital gains tax applicable is reduced to 20% from 55%. Under Japan's current taxation laws, unrealized capital gains on virtual currencies are recognized as income at the end of each fiscal year (on March 31), resulting in income tax liabilities. In …

The South Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance on Monday cleared that virtual asset airdrops, staking rewards and hard forked tokens would be subject to a "gift tax" under the Inheritance and Gift Tax Act despite the postponement of crypto gains tax to 2025. Cryptocurrencies are officially referred to as part of virtual assets under South Korean law. In response to a tax law inquiry about transfers of virtual asset airdrops by crypto exchanges, the South Korean tax authority said that any free virtual asset transfer by crypto exchanges in the form of airdrops, staking rewards and hard-forked tokens would …

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law this month by President Joe Biden, empowers the IRS with nearly $80 billion in new funds. The world’s most powerful tax collection agency is using the money to go on a hiring spree to fuel much tougher enforcement efforts. It is widely assumed that the audits will be brutal and widespread. Taxes start with tax returns, which must be signed under penalties of perjury. The Biden administration has said that the audits on steroids are for fat cats who have escaped having to pay their fair share for too long. The administration has …

Amid Colombia’s economic growth beat expectations in the second quarter, an official at the country’s tax and customs agency has hinted at some national digital currency plans. Luis Carlos Reyes, the head of the Colombian Tax and Customs National Authority, claimed that the government of newly inaugurated Colombian President Gustavo Petro will seek to create a digital currency to prevent illicit financial activity like tax evasion. Colombia’s digital currency plans are part of the country’s new monetary policy measures aiming to increase transparency of financial transactions, the official said in an interview with the local magazine Semana. According to the …

The Central District of California federal court entered an order Monday to authorize the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to serve a John Doe summons on SFOX, a Los Angeles-based cryptocurrency prime dealer. The IRS filed suit to receive the order, which directs SFOX to reveal the identities of customers who are U.S. taxpayers and documents relating to their cryptocurrency transactions equivalent to at least $20,000 carried out between 2016 and 2021. The IRS filed suit in the Southern District of New York to receive a John Doe summons on SFOX as well. SFOX’s partner bank, M.Y. Safra, is …

Which countries are banning Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies? Banning a global technology and economic paradigm like BTC is not the best approach for governments to protect their citizens from the risks of this asset class. It is by hand holding them through the journey, educating and setting the right controls in place that safeguarding retail customers can be achieved. There have been several bans on BTC, other cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency mining across the world. China banned cryptocurrencies in 2021 in light of its central bank digital currency, and it also affected Bitcoin mining. As a result, the BTC hash rate …

The leadership of the crypto-friendly charter city of Próspera in Honduras has hit back at reports it is facing a backlash from residents of the neighboring community of Crawfish Rock over its expansion plans. A Tuesday article from The Guardian reported the special economic zone, touted as an island paradise with low taxes/fiscal responsibility, luxury homes and crypto-friendly regulation, has seen pushback from some residents of the Crawfish Rock community. Some residents are reportedly concerned about being displaced from their homes due to Próspera’s potential expansion plans, with the article describing the project’s headquarters as sitting “amid a landscape scarred …

The implications of what anti-crypto regulations can do to a thriving economy can be seen first-hand unfolding in India. Supporting the massive decline in trading volumes across all Indian crypto exchanges, a report from WazirX reveals a change in investor sentiment as the Indian government imposed its second crypto law — a 1% tax deduction at source (TDS) on every crypto transaction. Trading volumes on Indian crypto exchanges saw an eventual reduction of 90-95% ever since the country introduced a law that would tax investors 30% on unrealized gains. With two consecutive taxes ready to eat away at their holdings, …

The government of the United Kingdom is asking the public for input on the taxation of crypto asset loans and staking in the context of decentralized finance (DeFi). DeFi is an umbrella term that refers to financial applications that are built on top of blockchain technology. This could include anything from lending to borrowing and staking platforms. In particular, the government is interested in gathering information on the taxation of crypto asset loans and staking. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) call for evidence paper, published on Tuesday, described its intention to study whether administrative hassles and costs may be …