What Are The Legal Implications Of Investing In Cryptocurrency?

Many countries and institutions have started accepting cryptocurrency into their financial systems as legal tender. This move follows an influx of investors buying into the digital currency market and recording significant profits from the venture. Furthermore, these results have opened up more government and regulatory considerations to invest in digital currency and the technology supporting it.

Since there are unclear laws governing cryptocurrency, investors leverage the market as an alternative investment strategy to diversify their portfolios. However, exposure to the risk of losing a considerable investment in cryptocurrency exists from the beginning of your investment journey. First, you must learn the cryptocurrency industry and know what it entails when investing in them.

To learn about the legal implications of investing in cryptocurrency, consulting a legal firm, such as Montague Law, should be your first step. They can help you with compliance matters regarding cryptocurrency in your country.

Are you wondering what legal issues surround cryptocurrency? Here are a few things you must know:

1. Taxation

Government tax authorities have started deliberating on regulatory laws for the cryptocurrency market. So far, these legal considerations target cryptocurrency transactions and holdings in these two facets of revenue collection:

• Capital Gains: Crypto-friendly countries, such as the USA and India, consider digital currency a property in the financial markets. You can expect to remit capital gains tax when filing an annual return to the government. The tax will depend on whether you buy and sell cryptocurrency in that financial year.
• Income Tax: Employees in companies that have integrated cryptocurrency into their payroll systems will attract income tax. The amount will depend on the percentage in the government pronouncement and the dollar value when salaries are transparent in your account.

These are some taxes you must pay for your investments. Expect more financial regulations as cryptocurrencies gain acceptance in different industries and countries in the coming years.

2. Foreign Banking Regulations

Cryptocurrency investors need a foreign account to buy and sell in the digital currency market. These accounts come with exemptions from banking regulations in crypto-friendly countries. Essentially, you don’t have reporting obligations for owning a foreign cryptocurrency account before banking regulators, such as the Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a US Treasury department representative.

These considerations vary according to the state and the underlying banking regulators. A digital asset investment advisor can help you to decipher this approach to investing in cryptocurrency.

So far, digital wallets seem to float in the cryptocurrency legalization front as it is not captured in foreign bank account holdings declaration. But proposals and debates to include digital wallets in digital asset declarations exist and hope for a breakthrough in the legal systems.

3. Registration And Licensing

Businesses incorporating cryptocurrency in their payment systems can enjoy the new market. However, jurisdictions and some activities might bring future limitations, such as a declaration of business income, that require the acquisition of licenses and registration.

It’s also unclear if companies already accepting cryptocurrency in their financial systems require additional permits or licenses. Owners and managers must consult legal practitioners to understand the underlying connection between cryptocurrency and compliance with government regulations on digital currencies and assets.

4. Fraud And Money Laundering

The decentralized nature of the cryptocurrency market raises fraud and money laundering concerns in the financial and business sectors. Government and financial regulators believe that cryptocurrency opens doors to financial crime. Hence, some countries like China have banned all cryptocurrency-related activities.

Aside from financial crime, investors have no legal avenue to track and recover their portfolio once they lose it in the digital currency markets. Cybercriminals can steal your cryptocurrency holdings from your digital wallet through phishing and other cybercrime tactics. Because of these threats, companies and developers have created measures to combat cybercriminals and keep investors’ assets safe.

5. Portfolio Protection

Developing investor protection policies is challenging for governments and regulatory boards in an ever-evolving cryptocurrency market. Developers constantly create new wallets and strategies to combat hackers’ attempts to compromise the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Still, some hackers can still breach these security measures, exposing investors to risks.

Eliminating legal risks surrounding cryptocurrency holdings is still a ways away, and investors must beware when adding it to their portfolios. But as more countries and financial institutions accept and adopt cryptocurrencies, government agencies will pass more legislation to protect investors and regulate trading.

6. Environmental Concerns

Cryptocurrency mining is a capital-intensive venture that has its drawbacks. You must be ready to handle substantial energy bills, infrastructure, and many computers. Therefore, governments have identified cryptocurrency mining and investment as an environmental risk.

Such considerations forced miners to shut down operations in countries like China. However, crypto-friendly countries welcome the digital currency ideology and consider formulating laws to accommodate crypto mining in their financial systems.

Final Thoughts

Cryptocurrency has years of innovation ahead as more people warm up to the digitization revolution. Formulating and passing laws to regulate it for investors has become challenging for many governments. Investors can only consult legal practitioners about what the law mandates on cryptocurrency. Financial experts and legislators are instead looking at amending existing laws to incorporate cryptocurrency into the economic systems.