Australian Court Ruling May Lead to Significant Bitcoin Tax Refunds

According to Odaily, a recent court ruling in Australia could result in a $640 million tax refund related to Bitcoin. Judge Michael O'Connell of Victoria ruled in a theft case involving 81.6 Bitcoins, valued at approximately $13 million, that Bitcoin should be considered currency rather than a taxable asset. This decision challenges the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) stance since 2014, which has classified cryptocurrencies as capital gains tax (CGT) assets. Tax lawyer Adrian Cartland noted that if the ruling is upheld on appeal, Bitcoin traders could receive refunds totaling 1 billion Australian dollars, or about $640 million. The ATO has not yet confirmed the specific refund amount. Notably, the judge compared Bitcoin to the Australian dollar rather than stocks or gold, suggesting that Bitcoin transactions might be exempt from the current CGT framework. Previously, the ATO required that any disposal of Bitcoin, including converting it to fiat currency, trading it for other cryptocurrencies, or purchasing goods, constituted a CGT taxable event.