A Discussion On The Legal Risks To Cryptocurrency Investors – Part 1

Cryptocurrency Regulation 

There is a growing need for clarity regarding the legal implications of the new technologies and currencies along with the explosion of interest in digital currency as also all of its implications for both new and traditional businesses as the governments across the globe, regulatory agencies, central banks as well as other financial institutions come to be working to understand the nature and meaning of digital currencies, individual investors can make a great deal of money investing in this new space whereas, on the other hand, investors assume certain legal risks when they buy and sell cryptocurrencies. 

As it is not the same digital currency might be easy to confuse for conventional electronic money as similarly, it is unlike conventional cash currencies because it still cannot be physically owned and transferred between parties. As it has only recently become popular much of the murkiness of the legal standing of digital currency is because space comes compared with more traditional currency and payment systems. Here we explore the emerging legal implications associated with investing in cryptocurrencies. 

Why Do They Consider Cryptocurrencies As Property?

It is therefore observed that one of the most critical legal considerations for any cryptocurrency investor that has to do with the way that the central authorities thereby viewing cryptocurrency holdings. While the IRS has defined in the US that the cryptocurrencies are property rather thanas currencies proper and so it means that here the individual investors are beholden to the capital gains tax laws as it comes to reporting their cryptocurrency expenses and profits on their annual tax returns regardless of where they are purchased digital coins. 

Adding layers of confusion and complexity for US taxpayers this aspect of the cryptocurrency has the difficulty not ending there. It, therefore, remains unclear as to whether digital currency investors that have purchased the holdings on foreign exchanges thereby must face additional reporting measures come the tax time. Therefore it was seen in a report by CNBC thereafter anyone with more than $ 10,000 abroad is usually needing to fill out the Report OF Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts along with the Treasury Department each year and henceforth the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act or FATCA requires that certain US taxpayers describe their overseas accounts on Form 8938 while they file their taxes with the IRS.

The Major Takes On Cryptocurrency

Offering a hint as to how foreign cryptocurrency exchanges could complicate tax matters for US digital currency investors, the former federal tax prosecutor Kevin F. Sweeney comments that there probably is an FBAR requirement which wouldn’t go as far as to say they're always is one adding that the lack of guidance from the IRS has created a black hole of uncertainty for investors and tax professionals alike as it would seem to be unfair in case they would expect taxpayers to know that and to then issue penalties for taxpayers who didn’t do that where practitioners can't even figure out if there is an FBAR requirement.

When it comes to reporting cryptocurrency profits and losses all of this suggests that digital currency investors should take special precautions to follow the advice of tax professionals. As the rules come to be constantly changing, it may have been legally permissible as it may now be the cause for legal concern.  

Finally Summing Up The Discussion To Be Continued In The Next Post

The risk to the investors is the lack of regulation as governments suspect them to be financial assistance for terrorism, drug trafficking, and money laundering. The central banks are unaware of the dangers posed by the crypto world. It comes to be similar to the dark web where all the transactions are under the curtain and the transactions remain anonymous. Here along with an anonymous propagator of Bitcoin, the whole of cryptocurrency world runs on anonymous grounds. Hence it is better than the investors exercise caution when it comes to crypto which is similar to gambling in its risks.

Thereafter many of the reasons are because the investors are usually unaware of the facts on which the crypto prices depend and hence lost many coins along with those through hacking. The threat of hacking and theft remains to be looming large in the case of the crypto investment. While it is a part of the crypto life, there remains to be seen which is the best and secure way to invest in cryptocurrency.