Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Slovenia Clarifies Position on Cryptocurrency Tax

Slovenian regulators have released a statement clarifying certain ambiguities connected to bitcoin and other digital currencies.


The Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia stated it received queries from taxpayers who had been interested in the achievable tax implications of bitcoin transactions.


In response, the Tax Administration requested a formal response from the Ministry of Finance, which stated that bitcoin remains a virtual currency – therefore, it is not a ‘monetary asset’ below Slovenian law.


Furthermore, bitcoin is not regarded a monetary instrument, either. However, the ministry stressed that taxation of bitcoin income nevertheless warrants a assessment on an individual basis. In other words, it is essential to determine who in fact generates an income, and classify what sort of revenue is getting generated.


Some earnings will be taxed


Earnings produced by people is subject to common revenue tax provisions, irrespective of the form in which it is paid or received. Such income is taxable below Slovenian law, and bitcoin revenue will apparently be taxed by measuring the bitcoin/euro exchange at the time of the transaction.


Nevertheless, personal earnings tax is not paid on capital gains. Therefore, people who generate income by selling bitcoins will not pay revenue tax.


This does not apply to bitcoin miners, as their income is taxed like any other revenue – using the exchange rate at the time the income is received. Profits derived from trading and mining bitcoin are taxed as revenue under the provisions of Slovenian individual earnings legislation.


Corporate regulations remain ambiguous


According to Slovenia’s Corporate Income Tax Act, any earnings generated more than the course of a year are included in the annual income statement, but the Ministry stressed that the current legislative framework contains no provisions applicable to organizations involved in bitcoin trading.


There is a fair amount of ambiguity here, as the ministry cites two corporate revenue laws, so figuring out the tax base could be problematic. The statement concludes that the therapy of bitcoins in the accounting process varies on a case-to-case basis.


Despite the fact that this might sound uncommon, it is a very common practice in Slovenia and its neighbouring countries. With comparatively small economies, it is possible to establish no matter whether a certain law or bylaw applies to each and every individual business that applies for clarification.


At a glance, the latest statement does not in any way influence Slovenia’s all round position concerning digital currencies. Bitcoin exchange Bitstamp is based in Slovenia, but none of the problems raised in the statement must have an impact on its every day operations.


Ljubljana, Slovenia image through Shutterstock


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Slovenia Clarifies Position on Cryptocurrency Tax

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