Considering Bitcoin An Asset Could Set Back Adoption in Israel

Israel’s central bank says the public’s adoption of the digital shekel is not expected “to materially affect the banking system.” The bank, however, warns that any issuance of such digital currency will likely result in a decline of the volume of the public’s deposits. Increase in the Banking System’s Interest Expenses Israel’s central bank, the Bank of Israel (BOI), has said its analysis of the proposed digital shekel’s possible impact on banking stability showed that the expected effect is not as significant as....

The Israel Tax Department has drafted new cryptocurrency tax rules that consider Bitcoin as an asset, eligible for capital gains taxes. The cryptocurrency community in Israel now has some clarity about the legal status of Bitcoin in their country. The country’s tax authorities have recently announced that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will be considered as assets and are taxable. The legal status of Bitcoin has always been a grey area in many countries across the world. But with the Israeli authorities clarifying their stance over the cryptocurrency, people can now manage their tax....

New legislation introducing tighter restrictions on payments with large sums of cash will enter into force in Israel on Monday. The goal, as stated by the country’s tax authority, is to improve the fight against organized crime, money laundering, and tax evasion. Critics doubt the law will achieve that. Authorities in Israel Go After Cash Purchases, Introduce Lower Limits Payments of large sums of money in cash and bank checks will be further restricted in Israel by amendments set to take effect on Aug. 1. Tax officials want to further reduce the circulation of cash in the country,....

Binance has reportedly halted services in Israel after the cryptocurrency exchange was approached by the country’s financial regulator inquiring about its activities and the licenses under which it operates. A growing number of regulators have been scrutinizing Binance for operating without a license in their jurisdictions. Binance Halts Crypto Services in Israel Israel’s Capital Market, Insurance, and Savings Authority has reportedly approached Binance regarding the crypto exchange’s activities in the country. The authority, which is responsible....

According to mathematician Meni Rosenfeld, Israel is a Bitcoin “forerunner.” With large numbers of users in the country, the number of startups and merchants continues to grow. Rosenfeld says: Among the list of Israel-based startups, Bits of Gold — in which Rosenfeld is an investor — GetGems and Polycoin lead adoption. “I think the Bitcoin community in Israel is more coherent than in many other places in the world, which can be attributed to the small size of the country. Everyone is in driving distance from anyone else, so its much easier to breed communities that actually meet up and....