The world has taken cryptocurrencies seriously after so many things have been written, explained, and discussed about them. They are the best and most popular choice for investment due to their rapid growth and exponential demand. Experts have declared that digital currency is now the “Future Gold”, and an era has begun. The acceptance of cryptocurrency has increased and there are now almost 900 digital currencies around the world.
Although they are legal tenders, there are still some states and institutions that do not approve them. Cryptocurrencies, despite this, have made great strides in obtaining legal entities. These are the states that recognize Cryptocurrencies under various legalities.
1. Alderney: This state, which is part of the Channel Islands, was the first to accept Cryptocurrency. They have been supporting them so well that they appear to be the best contender for being the hub of all Cryptocurrencies.
2. Japan: Since June 2014, Japan has been one of the strongest economies in the world and is open to cryptocurrencies. Japan’s Financial Services Agency stated that Japan should be the first country to allow cryptocurrency use. The Japanese Authority of Digital Assets (JADA), even created a “Code of Conduct” format to allow Cryptocurrency-only platforms.
3. The United States of America: States like New York have created “BitLicense” for the use of Cryptocurrency-Bitcoin. It is issued by the New York State Department of Financial Services, NYSDFS. It is limited to New York residents only and has many rules and guidelines.
States such as Texas and Illinois, which are the 5th and most populous states, allow free trading in cryptocurrencies. They also do not levy any taxes or regulations under money transmission regulations.
4. Australia: The Australian government has legalized Cryptocurrency. With a strong economy worth USD2.564 trillion, it is a viable option. Cryptocurrency trading and mining are legal. The government is also working on regulations to levy VAT taxes and capital gains taxes.
5. United Kingdom: The UK government also supports Cryptocurrency and treats them like “Private Money” (or currency). They are not assets and no VAT is added to them. Instead, they have asked the HM Treasury for data about digital altcoins in order to determine “Who”, “When”, and “Where” regulations can apply. This shows that the UK is not accepting the digital currency completely or deciding against it.
6. Germany: Cryptocurrencies have been declared legal financial instruments by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany since 2013. Capital gains taxes apply to Cryptocurrency trading. These taxes also fall under the sales tax and VAT.
7. Singapore: Cryptocurrencies have been declared goods by the Singapore government and Monetary Authority of Singapore as goods that can be used to purchase goods. They are therefore subject to certain taxes. They asked ATM providers and exchanges to Green-list them.
8. Bulgaria: They have been declared as hybrid money by the government since 2014 and are subject to a 10% tax when used as currency.
9. Finland: Finland is a small country with just 5.5 million inhabitants. It has many Bitcoin Vending machines. Cryptocurrency falls under the financial services category and is exempt from VAT.
10. Netherlands: The Act on Financial Supervision of Netherlands doesn’t regulate cryptocurrency. This is why there are cities that are named after Cryptocurrency, such as the “Bitcoin City”. This is the name given to Arnhem, which boasts over 100 merchants who trade on Bitcoin. Bitcoin can be used to purchase everything from gas to bicycles to dental services.
11. India: While the Indian government is yet to allow Cryptocurrencies to be used, they are keeping an eye on the situation. Lately, news has surfaced that the Indian government is launching their own Cryptocurrency called “Lakshmi”. This shows that the people of India are well-versed in cryptocurrency and will accept them. It’s only a matter now.
Although cryptocurrencies are not approved by many countries, such as Russia and Ukraine, there is a small number of them that will eventually. Others, such as Greece and Belgium, are watching and waiting for the right time. These countries are patient and ready to follow the European-wide guidance.