CORE MAGAZINE January 2018 | Page 28

Blockchain News Taxes on Cryptocurrency Effective January 1st, 2018 Continues Taxes on Cryptocurrency ew taxes on cryptocurrency have been announced. Under the Trump Administration, a $1.5 trillion tax cut was recently passed. US President Donald Trump referred to it as, “the largest tax cut in the history of our country”. Although the bill is designed to slash tax rates for giant corporate companies, there has been a great deal of skepticism around it. N The bill also includes taxes on cryptocurrency. For example, bitcoin to ether trading transactions will no longer be exempt from tax. Before this bill, users of cryptocurrency were taxed, but usually only 28 Core Magazine when the cryptocurrency was exchanged for US dollars or any other fiat currency; or, it was used to purchase an item. There might have been some ambiguity about taxes on cryptocurrency, but it seems like this new bill has made it clear that cryptocurrency trading will be taxed. Kelsey Lemaster, a tax lawyer working for Goodwin Procter LLP, considered the bill to be bad news for crypto traders because every transaction they make will be taxed starting January 1st, 2018. May not be such a great way to ring in the new year if you’re a crypto investor.