tax

According to Digital Asset, Park Soo-young, a member of the Korean National Power Party, criticized the government's plan to tax virtual asset gains, stating that it is "a threat of a tax bomb if one does not invest in the domestic stock market," and demanded an immediate withdrawal.Member Park Soo-young stated on her YouTube channel: "I hope this punitive tax plan that puts 13 million digital asset users in danger can be withdrawn immediately." She added, "This does not mean that people will invest in domestic stocks; on the contrary, it will only accelerate the outflow of national wealth." She cited that approximately 124 trillion won flowed into overseas digital asset exchanges from January to September last year.

According to Bloomberg, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), has launched the issuance of U.S. investment-grade bonds, just two weeks after the company announced its acquisition of the bond electronic trading platform MarketAxess for approximately $6 billion.Insiders revealed that ICE's bond issuance plan is divided into up to five parts, with maturities ranging from 3 to 10 years. The preliminary pricing guidance for the longest maturity bonds is about 1.15 percentage points above U.S. Treasury yields. ICE previously announced that it would acquire MarketAxess Holdings for approximately $6 billion to further expand its presence in the fixed income trading market. MarketAxess is one of the world's leading electronic bond trading platforms, primarily serving institutional investors and providing trading services for fixed income products such as corporate bonds and government bonds.This acquisition is seen as an important move by ICE to strengthen the infrastructure of the bond market. ICE currently owns the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), futures exchanges, clearinghouses, and data services, while MarketAxess's electronic bond trading network will help ICE further expand its ecosystem for trading fixed income assets.Market participants indicate that as bond trading gradually becomes electronic, traditional exchange operators are competing for institutional investment market share by acquiring trading platforms and data companies. This financing also reflects the trend of large financial infrastructure companies supporting strategic mergers and acquisitions through the debt market.

According to a report by CNBC, the latest research published in the academic journal "Review of Accounting Studies" shows that among U.S. taxpayers holding virtual currencies, the actual proportion of those reporting transactions to the federal government is only 32% to 56%.As the IRS will require intermediaries to submit virtual currency tax forms "Form 1099-DA" starting in 2025, discrepancies between reports from businesses and taxpayer filings will be more easily identified by authorities. In the first year, the form only needs to report total earnings, while the obligation to report cost basis will officially be included starting in 2026.

According to MBN, South Korea's People Power Party member Jeong Seong-guk plans to propose a bill to postpone the implementation date for taxing virtual asset income by three years, from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2030. The member pointed out that by delaying the implementation date until a comprehensive review of related systems, including the taxation of virtual assets, is completed, a safeguard can be established to enhance taxpayer expectations and prevent system chaos.According to current regulations, starting from January 1 of next year, income generated from the transfer or lending of virtual assets will be classified as "other income" and will be subject to income tax. Therefore, the portion of annual profits exceeding 2.5 million won will be taxed at a rate of 22%, which includes 20% for other income tax and 2% for local income tax. Amid recent stock market turmoil and soaring real estate prices triggering public attacks on the government and ruling party, the People Power Party seems to be trying to gain public support by actively proposing legislation aimed at protecting the interests of virtual asset market investors. The People Power Party has consistently opposed the government, advocating for the abolition of this tax.

On July 17, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot submitted Bill No. 921 to the Senate, proposing to incorporate the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) established by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) into French law and to automatically exchange encrypted data with 48 countries that have signed related agreements.The exchanged information includes specific transactions, user names, addresses, tax identification numbers, places of residence, and the cumulative transaction value during the reporting period. EU member states have prepared to conduct relevant data exchanges based on the DAC-8 directive, which will take effect on September 30, 2027. After the bill is approved, the French government will accelerate the collection of encrypted data. A Chainalysis report indicates that by 2026, France had recorded 30 publicly known violent robberies of crypto assets; the report states that a tax official in the Paris region is suspected of selling data on high-net-worth crypto holders.

The State Taxation Administration of China responded to the recent discussions on taxing insurance income in Hong Kong, stating that Chinese tax residents are required to fulfill their tax obligations on global income according to the law, and that overseas insurance income also falls within the scope of taxable income. This is not a new policy and is not specifically aimed at the Hong Kong insurance market. The tax authority indicated that residents must declare and pay taxes on overseas insurance income and other investment income in accordance with the law, and the relevant rules treat overseas income from different countries and regions equally.Yesterday, Caixin reported that with the normalization of CRS information exchange, Chinese tax authorities can now fully obtain data on dividends and cash value from overseas insurance policies, gradually filling the gaps in tax administration. Currently, the taxation of insurance income from overseas sources has been initiated.

According to Bloomberg, to advance the landmark cryptocurrency legislation "Clarity Act," bipartisan senators have proposed an ethical provision to Trump that may include a clause allowing the president to defer capital gains tax on his cryptocurrency assets. The proposal requires the president to divest from cryptocurrency-related businesses, and the relevant terms are still being negotiated between the White House and lawmakers. In June 2025, Trump reported that his family's cryptocurrency business generated over $1.4 billion in revenue, indicating that most of his income has come from digital assets benefiting from his own policies. Democratic senators have made strong ethical provisions a condition for supporting the bill, which aims to clarify the regulatory authority over the cryptocurrency industry.

According to Caixin, as the CRS information exchange becomes normalized, tax authorities can fully obtain data on dividends and cash value from overseas insurance policies, gradually filling the gaps in tax administration. The taxation of insurance benefits from overseas income has now been initiated.In addition, the CRS, as the "eye in the sky" of the global tax system, is also being upgraded according to schedule, with CRS 2.0 approaching. Key changes include incorporating crypto assets, central bank digital currencies (CBDC), and specific electronic currency products into the definition of financial assets, aligning with the trend of digital assets gradually merging with the mainstream financial world. Overall, from multiple dimensions such as overseas stock trading, overseas insurance, and offshore trusts, the iteration of CRS 2.0 and the tightening of overseas income tax collection mechanisms resonate with each other, mutually supporting and enhancing the effectiveness of cross-border tax source regulatory constraints.

According to South Korean media MK, the annual tax reform plan previously announced by the South Korean government does not include a proposal to further postpone the taxation of virtual assets (cryptocurrencies), which means that the current legal schedule for taxation in 2027 is likely to remain.According to the current South Korean Income Tax Act, starting in 2027, income from the transfer and lending of virtual assets will be classified as "other income," and investors will enjoy a tax-free allowance of 2.5 million Korean won per year. Any amount exceeding this will be subject to a 20% income tax, along with an additional 10% local income tax, resulting in a combined tax rate of 22%.

According to the Economic Times of India, the Indian Central Board of Direct Taxes has revised the global tax reporting framework, expanding the scope of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and the Common Reporting Standard to include specific crypto assets, central bank digital currencies, and digital currency products, while tightening the due diligence requirements for financial institutions.The updated compliance framework provides guidelines for banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, custodians, and other investment entities on account identification, tax residency verification, and financial information reporting. Financial institutions are also required to conduct enhanced due diligence on high-value accounts with balances exceeding $1 million.

According to Edaily, the South Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance has finalized the "2026 Tax Reform Bill," which does not include a clause for delaying the taxation of virtual assets. If passed by the National Assembly, profits from virtual asset transactions exceeding 2.5 million won will be taxed at a rate of 22%, with the first declaration due in May 2028.This taxation has been postponed three times previously, and the opposition party has proposed a repeal bill, facing significant opposition amid the current market downturn.

According to The Nation Online, the Nigerian Tax Authority has released the "Virtual Asset Taxation Guidelines," officially incorporating cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, NFTs, and other blockchain digital assets into the country's tax system. The guidelines were published on July 31 and provide the first detailed framework for taxing the income from assets such as cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, governance tokens, and NFTs.The guidelines stipulate that income generated from the disposal, exchange, or transfer of virtual assets must be taxed according to Nigerian tax law, and income from blockchain activities such as mining, staking, validating, airdrops, and token rewards is also subject to taxation. Virtual assets must be valued at the market price of exchange platforms recognized by the tax authority. Individuals and businesses must maintain complete transaction records, and virtual asset service providers must register for taxation and report large or suspicious transactions. The SEC continues to regulate securities-type virtual assets, while the tax authority is responsible for tax management. The guidelines do not set a separate tax rate for cryptocurrencies but apply existing tax law provisions. The guidelines follow President Bola Tinubu's executive order on establishing a coordinated regulatory framework for virtual assets.

Terry Duffy, Chairman and CEO of CME Group, stated that the approval of perpetual futures contracts in the United States may expose traders to tax and regulatory uncertainties, as the related products may ultimately be classified as swaps rather than futures. Duffy noted that the long and short parties in perpetual contracts regularly exchange funding rates, a mechanism that aligns with the statutory definition of swaps under U.S. law.The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) currently classifies them as futures, and CME is legally challenging this approval with the CFTC. Duffy pointed out that if perpetual contracts are treated as futures, some institutional traders may be subject to the mixed tax treatment under Section 1256 of the U.S. tax code; if classified as swaps, they may be taxed under ordinary tax rules. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has yet to issue specific guidance on the tax treatment of perpetual futures. Legal experts indicate that perpetual futures are structurally similar to swaps but economically function like futures, and the court's interpretation of the relevant definitions will be crucial. Even if litigation clarifies the product classification, the IRS may still need to issue separate guidance on tax treatment.

According to DigitalAsset, South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol stated at a plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Finance and Economy Planning Committee that the taxation of digital assets will be implemented as planned on January 1, 2027, and the system may be supplemented and improved if necessary thereafter.According to the current income tax law, the portion of income from digital asset transactions exceeding 2.5 million won will be subject to a 20% tax rate (including local taxes up to 22%). The implementation was originally scheduled for 2022 but has been postponed three times due to insufficient infrastructure. In response to concerns raised by People Power Party member Kim Sang-hoon regarding the non-application of loss carryforward deductions potentially leading to a decline in domestic demand and capital outflow, Koo stated that stock investments also do not allow for loss carryforwards, and the taxation can be reviewed and improved at any time. Regarding the introduction of a capital gains tax similar to that in overseas markets, Koo mentioned that a comprehensive and systematic consideration of the overall capital market is necessary.

According to Edaily, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea plans to jointly draft a unified government bill for the "Basic Law on Digital Assets" with the ruling Democratic Party, covering the issuance and circulation of stablecoins, business rules for digital assets, exchange admission requirements, information disclosure, internal control, and system resilience standards. Currently, there are 10 related bills pending review in the National Assembly, but there has not yet been consensus on core disputes such as whether the issuers of won-pegged stablecoins must be bank holding companies and whether to impose shareholding restrictions on major exchanges. The FSC has not yet determined the submission date for the bill.Meanwhile, the opposition party's People Power Party lawmaker Song Yeon-sik submitted a proposal to abolish the cryptocurrency income tax amendment to the National Assembly's Finance and Economy Planning Committee for review on Wednesday. Additionally, a tax abolition petition supported by over 50,000 people is also expected to be submitted to the petition subcommittee. According to the current plan, starting from January 1, 2027, cryptocurrency transfers or lending income exceeding 2.5 million won per year will face a 20% income tax plus a 2% local tax. The government and the ruling party support the timely implementation, while the opposition party believes it is unfair to tax cryptocurrencies when most ordinary stock investors remain tax-exempt.

According to Cointelegraph, Uzbekistan has officially launched its first tax-free cryptocurrency mining zone, Besqala Mining Valley, where miners can enjoy tax exemptions until 2035, while needing to pay a 1% revenue fee and double the electricity price. The relevant bill was signed in April.

Justin Ryan Schmidt, the founder of the cryptocurrency investment fund Translunar Crypto LP, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison by a U.S. court for tax evasion. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the 46-year-old Schmidt pleaded guilty this year in federal court in Austin, Texas, where he was accused of underreporting income, declaring less than $5,000 in income from 2020 to 2022, while prosecutors claimed he actually earned over $7 million through fund operations from 2019 to 2022.It is reported that Schmidt founded Translunar in 2017, primarily investing in blockchain startups, with funding mainly coming from investors in the Austin area of Texas and Aspen, Colorado. He was arrested by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division on February 23, 2026, and has been in custody since then.