What If Bitcoin Becomes Legal Tender?

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wizard_2016Full Member
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#1Dec 19, 2023, 08:59 PM
So, the U.S. sees Bitcoin as a "convertible virtual currency" right now. If it gets recognized as legal tender somewhere, like El Salvador, it may change that status. We're talking about it being treated as actual money.
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kevin2020Senior Member
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#2Dec 20, 2023, 02:33 AM
Exactly, it’s not just a news flash. The legal implications could be massive. If Bitcoin is recognized as legal tender, it might dodge a ton of taxes, especially capital gains. I mean, other countries are already doing it.
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wizard_2016Full Member
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#3Dec 20, 2023, 07:08 AM
Forex traders get taxed on gains in the U.S., right?
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kevin2020Senior Member
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#4Dec 20, 2023, 08:54 AM
Traders do, but according to Code 998, any gains under $200 are exempt. So you could use Bitcoin for small purchases without worrying about reporting to the IRS. But honestly, I’m not holding my breath for that.
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#5Dec 20, 2023, 10:40 AM
Other countries like Germany have exempted Bitcoin from capital gains tax for ages. For them, the tax situation is almost like trading forex already. But the U.S. implications? Huge. It could ease up regulations, especially for smaller transactions.
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#6Dec 20, 2023, 11:11 AM
If Bitcoin gets recognized like a foreign currency, it could legitimize it like any other currency. I dream of a future where Bitcoin is a global currency, smoothly used everywhere.
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HumbleGuruFull Member
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#7Dec 20, 2023, 03:15 PM
Lol, yeah right. If you pay with a phone, you might end up giving away your privacy. Apple and Google could be forced to share user data. That could be a mess.
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kevin2020Senior Member
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#8Dec 20, 2023, 08:55 PM
Totally. I wouldn’t be shocked if they already track every wallet on their systems. Just imagine if they started snooping on transactions.
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HumbleGuruFull Member
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#9Dec 21, 2023, 09:19 AM
I think they have the data. But will they give it to the IRS? What if they just say no? Would be interesting to see.
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mark2011Newbie
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#10Dec 21, 2023, 12:29 PM
For Bitcoin to be treated like that, El Salvador will need to back it with reserves. The U.S. might find a way to pressure them if things get out of hand.
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0xGasMember
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#11Dec 21, 2023, 12:40 PM
Nah, I doubt pressure will work. Other countries might jump on this bandwagon soon, making U.S. pressure pointless. They could just create a separate category for crypto earnings.
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bull2013Full Member
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#12Dec 21, 2023, 04:01 PM
We don’t need it to be legal tender. Just tweaking the tax code a bit would help a lot. In Australia, you can use Bitcoin for personal purchases without capital gains tax.
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kevin2020Senior Member
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#13Dec 21, 2023, 06:20 PM
Why would they say no? It’s not in their interest to make enemies with the government. Google is already known for snooping; they won’t risk that reputation.
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#14Dec 21, 2023, 11:16 PM
I heard that once a country accepts a currency, others need to recognize it too. But with Bitcoin being hated by central banks, I doubt they'll follow suit.
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planktonHero Member
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#15Dec 22, 2023, 07:27 PM
The issue is that Bitcoin isn’t El Salvador’s official legal tender. They still use the U.S. dollar as their main currency. This means the laws in the U.S. might not apply.
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wizard_2016Full Member
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#16Dec 23, 2023, 12:56 AM
They’ve established Bitcoin as legal tender, though. The terms used in U.S. law don’t really matter here.
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chain88Member
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#17Dec 23, 2023, 05:20 AM
Do we really need to wait until September for this to kick in? What if the U.S. decides to reframe the laws before then?
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0xFalconMember
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#18Dec 23, 2023, 05:39 AM
True, but specific laws usually take precedence over generic ones. If the U.S. has already classified it as virtual currency, it's hard to argue otherwise.
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tony07Senior Member
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#19Dec 23, 2023, 08:57 AM
It’ll be interesting to see if jurisdictions try to maneuver through this. They might try to find ways to accommodate Bitcoin or crypto in general.
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chain88Member
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#20Dec 23, 2023, 02:16 PM
I think the U.S. will stall. They don’t want to look weak by letting a small country dictate terms. They’ll take their time and figure out how to manage this.
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