GST on Cryptocurrency? Overseas exchanges may face 18% tax

| | , ,

India is among the countries where cryptocurrencies are not considered assets and, therefore, not liable for capital gains tax. The department of indirect taxes has asked some Bitcoin exchanges to provide information regarding their customer bases to determine whether or not they should be required to pay GST on Cryptocurrency on specific services along with the amount.

GST on Cryptocurrency? Overseas exchanges may face 18% tax

The finance ministry has asked India’s indirect tax department to examine if GST needs to be paid on cryptocurrency trading in the country, which will help legitimacy and check rampant speculation.  The new regulations will also allow the government to tap into potential revenue as the market capitalization for digital currencies continues to grow worldwide. They were also asked for the GST Return Filing form to get all the details of its income and expenses.

A sale of cryptocurrency would trigger a realization event, meaning that an individual taxpayer would have to report the deal and pay taxes on all realized gains. Any short-term losses from cryptocurrency sales would also be subject to the capital loss rules and could offset any realized profits.

Know about OIDAR Rules

Online interfaces for digital or data services have been defined as computer programs, including applications software, network access, web hosting, data, and digital content. Under the new rules, OIDAR refers to services provided over the internet as a computer service/network information service and consists of online shopping, stock trading, money exchange, the new government order said.

This may help Indian entrepreneurs to realize their full potential in the global market under the GST Return Filing. These exchanges offer banking services to the users, also allowing them to sell or buy anything from stocks and indices to services and other information. Foreign exchange (FX) businesses constitute a significant component of the multi-billion dollar financial sector in India.

Thus, the Indian government considered all the potential of cryptocurrencies and decided to make this tax regulation (GST Registration) not to lose the market and enthusiasts and create an attractive environment for investments in blockchain.

Further Clarification of GST on CryptoCurrency

The new tax clause mentions that the levy will be imposed on all stock transaction costs, which means brokerage firms will have to increase their charge on mutual fund transactions to accommodate the extra 18%.

Cryptocurrencies are considered mainly assets due to their price volatility. Although some platforms like Ethereum offer users to run smart contracts, still it is a topic of debate that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Litecoin are security or currency.  In the US, the security classification would mean that cryptocurrency exchanges would fall under the jurisdiction of the SEC.

GST Collection in June 2021 Slips Below Rs 1 Lakh Crore

If you want any other guidance related to GST Registration or GST Return filing, please feel free to talk to our business advisors at 8881-069-069.

Download E-Startup Mobile App and Never miss the freshest updates narrating to your business.

Previous

QRMP Scheme Changes implemented on GST Portal for the taxpayers

FIEO partners with Aramex India to support MSME exporters

Next

Leave a Comment