Australian Tax Office Delays Bitcoin Guidance

Australian Tax Office Delays Bitcoin Guidance

The ATO today released its final ruling on taxation of digital currencies, with the majority of the draft version's important provisions still intact. Most importantly, goods and services tax (GST) will still be imposed on bitcoin exchanges, leading to double taxation if those bitcoins are then spent on goods or services. The Australian Tax Office (ATO), the government agency dedicated to revenue collection, has decided to delay its ruling on bitcoin, pleasing some individual taxpayers but creating uncertainty for businesses and investors. The ATO had since February promised a definitive....


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