Fran Strajnar is a serial-entrepreneur. After having done the corporate circuit with some of New Zealand’s leading tech vendors as a BDM or Project Manager, he decided to work for himself and began experimenting with his own business ideas which included a bio-chemical startup as well as some dabbling in the electronic cigarettes market. One of his latest ventures in the pipeline is BTM Ltd. – a company that focuses on brining Bitcoin ATMs to New Zealand. He is also the founder of bravenewcoin.com, a popular Bloomberg-type resource for cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Fran is the organizer of Bitcoin South, the first …

Lately, it has been getting harder and harder to pinpoint the position of the Australian Tax Office (ATO) with respect to Bitcoin. Earlier this week the ATO announced that Bitcoin would not be considered money for tax purposes in a highly criticized decision that would in effect place a double tax burden on many Bitcoin businesses and merchants that accept Bitcoin. Interestingly enough the Tax Office also ruled that wages paid in Bitcoin would be taxed at the same rate as traditional currency, as if the wages were “money” in what appears to be a double standard. The new announcement …

ATO (Australian Taxation Office) just released its guidance on the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies. The set of regulations coincides with Australia's 2013-1014 income tax returns. It has been a long time coming as Cointelegraph initially reported that the ATO is planning to prepare the guidelines, and then postponing, then offering slightly more clarity, and now here we are. BTC down under Bitcoin's popularity in Australia as well as New Zealand is booming, and increasingly more local startups are looking to adopt the cryptocurrency. Currently, there are 190 active companies in Australia using Bitcoin and roughly 40,000 active users. “The Bitcoin …

Australia’s first two-way Bitcoin ATM opens today in the Westfield Sydney shopping centre. The machine is owned and managed by ABA Technology Pty Ltd, “a small group of small team of experienced entrepreneurs and investors,” which has plans for over 100 ATMs in Australia by 2015. Cointelegraph reported earlier this month on the unveiling of pioneering two-way Bitcoin ATMs in Helsinki, and this one would appear to offer many of the same services to seasoned and casual investors alike. As expected, customers can withdraw BTC from their wallets as cash instantly. They can also purchase BTC instantly at the ATM, …

Many articles on Cointelegraph.com cover businesses and merchants, who accept Bitcoin payments in exchange for their goods and services. Last year, we reported on the RentHop resource, offering a wide range of apartments for rent in New York for Bitcoin. Moreover, in January, the Bond New York Real Estate Brokerage Firm, specializing in residential rentals and sales as well as commercial leasing, has announced it will accept Bitcoin as payment for real estate transactions. The First in Australia This time good news came from one of the most successful and respected real estate agencies in Australia. Forsyth Real Estate, based …

While some online and physical businesses that offer services and smaller goods have made the move toward Bitcoin, the currency had not caught on with sellers of cars and other vehicles (aside from a few half hearted marketing ploys, one time deals or donation schemes). Tomcar Australia CEO David Brim likened Bitcoin to the innovation credit cards represented in the 1970s. “When our Tomcars are suited to many driving environments, it makes sense to accept a global currency without nation-state borders,” Brim said. CoinJar Tomcar will use CoinJar as its payment gateway, and customers buying online will simply be able …