South African exchanges welcome the new ‘crypto is financial asset’ ruling
Major South African exchanges have welcomed the central bank’s plans to regulate cryptocurrencies as financial assets. South Africa’s Reserve Bank is set to begin regulating cryptocurrencies as financial assets in the next 18 months, with exchanges expecting the move to drive adoption in the country.The move to classify cryptocurrencies as financial assets and not currency has been talked about for some time by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Deputy governor Kuben Chetty confirmed that the new regulations would take effect over the next year, speaking in an online dialogue on....
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Three leading cryptocurrency exchanges from South Africa recently confirmed receiving a request for client data from the country’s revenue collector. In a joint statement, the exchanges, (namely Altcointrader, Luno, and Valr) said this request, which targets a “selection of customers”, has been made “in terms of section 46 of the (South African) Tax Administration Act.” Data Needed for Future Action Explaining the tax collector’s move to access crypto traders’ personal information, the statement says the South African Revenue Service (SARS) wants....
A South African regional court recently ruled to release former Monero lead maintainer, Riccardo Spagni, from custody. The ruling came just a few days after his arrest by local law enforcement agents, a report has said. Prior to his release, Spagni aka Fluffypony told the court he had returned to South Africa voluntarily and that he was not a flight risk.
US Judge Grants Motion for Spagni’s Extradition
A South African regional court magistrate recently ruled to release fraud-accused former Monero lead developer, Riccardo Spagni, from custody on a warning, a report has....
A South African tax expert, Thomas Lobban, has warned non-tax paying crypto traders that they now face possible jail time if the South African Revenue Services (SARS) decides to lay tax offense charges against them. He adds that this threat of jail time similarly applies to South African crypto traders that use offshore exchange platforms to trade or store their crypto assets. Lack of Guidance Blamed Lobban’s warning follows reports earlier in the year which suggested that changes to South African tax laws may have made it “easier for SARS to secure criminal convictions for....
Industry insiders believe South Africa's move to classify cryptocurrencies as financial products could drive the adoption and legitimacy of the sector. South African financial service providers have been primed to offer cryptocurrency products and services to customers after regulatory amendments in the country.This comes after South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority amended its financial advisory act from 2002 on Oct. 19, defining crypto assets in the country as financial products. Most importantly, the definition means that cryptocurrencies can now be offered by financial....
A group of South African banks have pushed ahead with plans to test blockchain applications in a partnership that has drawn support from key regulators in the country. As reported by local outlets IT Web and MoneyWeb, the project included teams from Standard Chartered, Absa, Rand Merchant Bank, Investec and Nedbank. Supporters of the initiative included the Financial Services Board, a major finance regulator; Strate, the country’s central securities depository; and the South African Reserve Bank. The institutions involved developed and tested a system for issuing syndicated loans via....