Why do virtual money need to be taxed?

With the rapid development of encrypted assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum globally, tax authorities in various countries are gradually including “Virtual Money” in the scope of taxation. This is because virtual money is considered as assets (such as the US IRS) or property (such as the Japan National Tax Agency) in nature, and its transactions, conversions, or holdings may lead to taxable activities.

The core purpose of taxation is, on one hand, to prevent tax evasion loopholes, and on the other hand, to regulate market order and protect ordinary investors.

Different Approaches to Taxing Virtual Money by Countries

The tax policies on virtual money vary significantly across different countries. Here are the approaches taken by several representative countries:

• United States: The IRS views Virtual Money as property, taxing profits from transactions, airdrops, and mining income. Investors must report capital gains in USD.
• Japan: Virtual Money is classified as “miscellaneous income” and is subject to progressive tax rates based on personal income, with rates reaching as high as 55%.
• Singapore: No tax on individuals holding virtual money, but if considered as business operations, corporate income tax must be paid.
• China: Currently, there are no clear national unified tax regulations for virtual money, but in the future, it cannot be ruled out that it will be included in the regulatory and taxation framework.

The taxation of virtual assets in Taiwan, China is making substantial progress, and cases of tax leakage and supplementary payment have emerged.

According to public information from ABMedia and the Ministry of Finance, although Taiwan has not established a “dedicated virtual money tax law”, the National Taxation Bureau has clearly included it in the existing tax system and has begun auditing and collecting back taxes:

• The National Taxation Bureau has discovered over NT$ 130 million in short-reported income by the end of 2024.
• The additional tax and fines exceed 34 million yuan, indicating that the tax authorities have actively intervened.
• If there are interest income (such as staking or DeFi earnings), it may also be subject to income taxation in the future.

In other words, although Taiwan currently falls under “indirect taxation,” it has entered the substantive audit and collection stage. Investors should prepare early and actively declare.

Types of taxation that investors must pay attention to

From a practical perspective, the taxable activities involving several types of virtual money that ordinary investors most commonly encounter include:

• Income from buying and selling virtual money: For example, the profit from purchasing BTC at a low price and selling it at a higher price is considered capital gains and is taxable.
• Using Virtual Money to pay or exchange for fiat currency: If the asset appreciates during the payment or exchange, it is also considered a taxable event.
• Mining rewards and airdropped tokens: Most countries consider them as income and tax them based on the market value at that time.
• DeFi yields and staking interest: An increasingly common new type of income method, which is gradually being included in the tax scope.

How to correctly declare Virtual Money taxes?

The tax reporting process seems complicated, but the core lies in accurate record-keeping and timely declaration:

1. Record the details of each transaction: including transaction time, coin type, quantity, price, platform, transaction fee, etc.
2. Convert the value in local currency: Calculate the amount of profit based on the currency of the taxpayer’s country.
3. Use tax tools or software: such as CoinTracking, Koinly, etc. that can automatically generate tax reports.
4. Report to the local tax authority: If uncertain, seek help from an accountant or tax consultant.

Avoid common pitfalls: How many tax traps do you know?

In virtual money tax reporting, investors often fall into the following misconceptions:

• Thinking that no tax is needed if it hasn’t been realized: In some countries, even if transactions are only on-chain, taxes must be paid as long as there are profits.
• Thinking that the platform is safe if it doesn’t report: Many exchanges now share data with tax authorities, making it very risky to evade.
• Underreporting or concealing airdrop/NFT earnings: More and more new forms are being included in the tax scope, so don’t overlook it.
• Cross-border transactions do not require declaration: as long as you are a tax resident of a certain country, the global income principle still applies.

Summary and Suggestions

Although the taxation of virtual money is still in the exploratory stage, it is a consensus that it will become stricter in the future. As an investor, one should not have a mindset of taking chances. Compliance records and paying taxes according to the law not only help avoid legal risks but also bring long-term financial health. Suggestions:

• Pay attention to the latest policy trends in your country;
• Use crypto tax tools for asset records.
• If there are a large number of transactions or complex situations, hire a professional consultant as early as possible.