TAX NEWS

Tax calculation in the process of cryptocurrency trading

Ivica SmiljanIvica Smiljan

Cryptocurrencies are digital monetary units that should function as independent, decentralized controlled and cryptographically encrypted payment systems. They are not generated and issued by the state central bank, such as the euro or the US dollar, but are generated exclusively digitally. There is no central operator that controls creation. The appropriate cryptocurrency is generated by a network of participants who want to use it and thousands of computers within the network verify and execute transactions correctly and store them locally.

Cryptocurrencies that are pegged to stable currencies are called stable cryptocurrencies (stablecoin), for example, for the US dollar, and holders of such stable cryptocurrencies can sell back to the issuer at any time at a fixed exchange rate. Once we have explained what cryptocurrencies are and what you can find in the digital world, it is time to break down their taxation as well.

 

How to determine what is the capital gain in cryptocurrency trading?

Income from capital on the basis of capital gains is determined as the difference between the contracted sale price, i.e. the receipt determined according to the market value of the financial asset being disposed of and the purchase value of that asset. Receipts on this basis are considered receipts from the disposal of financial instruments and structured products, i.e., among other things, receipts from money market instruments. Capital gain is the difference between the value that the taxpayer invested at the beginning of trading and that he earned on the maturity or sale of those financial assets.

Bitcoin trading (when trading is performed by natural persons for their own account) is considered a financial transaction and the income generated from bitcoin trading, like all other cryptocurrencies, is subject to income tax based on capital gains, since it is a gain based on the sale of that crypto or virtual currency, which is equivalent to instruments money markets. The tax is paid at a rate of 12%, which is then increased by the surtax prescribed by municipalities and cities. Tax paid on the basis of capital gains will be considered final, which means that it will not be taken into account in the annual income tax calculation and that the taxpayer will not have to file an annual tax return, but will not be able to get  a refund payment nor a larger payment difference.

 

What if the value of the cryptocurrency cannot be determined?

Each purchase and sale of cryptocurrency must be documented with authentic documents (for example, a certificate from the online platform or a certificate from the exchange office through which the purchase/sale of cryptocurrency was made) and the acquired and sold value is determined according to these documents. In exceptional cases, if the value of bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency cannot be determined from authentic documents, the market value can be determined according to the average value of each cryptocurrency in relation to one of the fiat currencies on the day of purchase/sale according to data on trading with some of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, such as OKEx, Binance, Gemini, Kraken, GDAX, Coinbase, etc.

In all the above cases, the transaction must be proven by credible documentation (contract, decision, confirmation, printout of transactions on the e-wallet, i.e. digital wallet through which cryptocurrency trading was performed, printout of credit or debit card transactions used to purchase cryptocurrencies, i.e. payment made from the sale of cryptocurrencies, etc.)

 

Dana source: Tax Administration