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Topic: bitinstant paycard - page 6. (Read 26596 times)

legendary
Activity: 1680
Merit: 1035
August 22, 2012, 12:38:18 PM
I don't have a deep enough understanding of tax law to answer this, but I think my plan was to only calculate based on the amount converted back into USD.

My plan as well, and that's how businesses typically do it. I don't know if this was settled w/ Bitcoin yet, but that's likely in another topic/thread.
sr. member
Activity: 283
Merit: 250
August 22, 2012, 12:31:34 PM
I don't have a deep enough understanding of tax law to answer this, but I think my plan was to only calculate based on the amount converted back into USD.
legendary
Activity: 1680
Merit: 1035
August 22, 2012, 12:29:21 PM
interesting. the tax situation is complicated, because you need to know your cost basis in order to know what is capital gains income... and bitinstant wouldn't have that information. I'd imagine we'll be doing our taxes ourselves.
That's a good point. If I fund an Gox account via bitinstant that alone is not taxable. If I then buy coins and they appreciate I would owe capitol gains on the rise in value. But how would bitinstant know what I paid or even if I executed a buy?

Would you owe capital gains on it as if it were an investment/commodity/collector's item, or would you owe capital gains only on the portion exchanged back into USD/EUR as if it were a foreign currency?
legendary
Activity: 1680
Merit: 1035
August 22, 2012, 12:27:00 PM
I predict that the release of this card will cause a short-term drop in the price of Bitcoin, as it now becomes far easier to convert Bitcoin to cash.

If the claim that the cards will be funded with BTC and HOLD BTC right until the sale transaction takes place, I believe the opposite will happen, and more fiat will be converted to BTC and then sit there.

interesting. the tax situation is complicated, because you need to know your cost basis in order to know what is capital gains income... and bitinstant wouldn't have that information. I'd imagine we'll be doing our taxes ourselves.
That's a good point. If I fund an Gox account via bitinstant that alone is not taxable. If I then buy coins and they appreciate I would owe capitol gains on the rise in value. But how would bitinstant know what I paid or even if I executed a buy?

I hope (expect?) that this service will provide monthly credit statements like all other credit cards do, with the only difference being an extra column that shows how much your USD/EUR/GBP purchase cost you in Bitcoin. I also suspect this would be online only, since print&mail is expensive, but maybe BitInstant can add mailed paper statements as an extra source of revenue? That should be enough for tax purposes.
legendary
Activity: 3066
Merit: 1147
The revolution will be monetized!
August 22, 2012, 11:57:24 AM
interesting. the tax situation is complicated, because you need to know your cost basis in order to know what is capital gains income... and bitinstant wouldn't have that information. I'd imagine we'll be doing our taxes ourselves.
That's a good point. If I fund an Gox account via bitinstant that alone is not taxable. If I then buy coins and they appreciate I would owe capitol gains on the rise in value. But how would bitinstant know what I paid or even if I executed a buy?
sr. member
Activity: 283
Merit: 250
August 22, 2012, 11:41:47 AM
interesting. the tax situation is complicated, because you need to know your cost basis in order to know what is capital gains income... and bitinstant wouldn't have that information. I'd imagine we'll be doing our taxes ourselves.
hero member
Activity: 675
Merit: 502
August 22, 2012, 11:36:45 AM
I predict that the release of this card will cause a short-term drop in the price of Bitcoin, as it now becomes far easier to convert Bitcoin to cash.

But because that addresses one reservation people have about getting into Bitcoin, this will lead to long-term price appreciation.


Will BitInstant issue 1099 tax forms for people who cash out Bitcoins with this card?
sr. member
Activity: 379
Merit: 250
August 22, 2012, 11:34:04 AM
what personal information will you need to issue a card for a person?
photo of id? any AML requirement?

what exactly to expect?


sorry if it is answered somewhere else...
legendary
Activity: 1078
Merit: 1000
Charlie 'Van Bitcoin' Shrem
August 22, 2012, 11:31:26 AM
'for the purposes of the card' is written for that reason. It's not what you think.
Can you elaborate, please?

Thanks!  Smiley

Not right now, too much press heat. However I will say that we are working on kick ass software and currency risk to do very cool things on this card.
hero member
Activity: 731
Merit: 503
Libertas a calumnia
August 22, 2012, 11:29:21 AM
'for the purposes of the card' is written for that reason. It's not what you think.
Can you elaborate, please?

Thanks!  Smiley
legendary
Activity: 1078
Merit: 1000
Charlie 'Van Bitcoin' Shrem
August 22, 2012, 11:16:25 AM

Quote
All balances for the purposes of the card are held and collateralized in USD (or the cardholder’s native currency). BitInstant instantly funds the cards in USD, after receiving the user’s Bitcoins.

Too bad Sad

'for the purposes of the card' is written for that reason. It's not what you think.
hero member
Activity: 731
Merit: 503
Libertas a calumnia
August 22, 2012, 11:13:14 AM

Quote
All balances for the purposes of the card are held and collateralized in USD (or the cardholder’s native currency). BitInstant instantly funds the cards in USD, after receiving the user’s Bitcoins.

Too bad Sad
legendary
Activity: 1078
Merit: 1000
Charlie 'Van Bitcoin' Shrem
hero member
Activity: 731
Merit: 503
Libertas a calumnia
August 22, 2012, 10:57:36 AM
Actually I don't think that everybody is so excited because of the low fees but because everyone (me included) thought that using btc to fund a debit card was a new thing, while instead it was not.
I don't know enough about OKPay. Can you load your OKPay balance simply by sending coins to your address (whether it's on the card of you have it printed somewhere), or do you have to load by going to their website and doing the deposit/transfer there? I was under the impression that the new thing with BitInstant cards is that you can load them by just sending BTC to the address on the card.
With okpay you can generate as many bitcoin addresses you want and you can link them either to euros or dollars account, then you can send btc to the address you prefer, any time.

So, apart from fees (not that these are uninportant, of course) and a nice qr code on the card, I don't see any innovation in bitpay card.

At least, unless the bitcoins sent to your addresses are converted just in time during a payment instead of the moment of the trasfer.

The former option would be a great bonus, but I've not yet read any confirmation for it being the case.
sr. member
Activity: 382
Merit: 253
August 22, 2012, 10:10:38 AM
Quote
MasterCard Denies Plans For BitCoin Credit Card

http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/no-bitcoin-credit-card-planned-90058

Is it possible to do this kind of deal just with the bank and not include a card provider??

Yes, that's exactly what's happening (from what I understand). BitInstant doesn't need to deal directly with MasterCard.
legendary
Activity: 1680
Merit: 1035
August 22, 2012, 08:50:15 AM
Actually I don't think that everybody is so excited because of the low fees but because everyone (me included) thought that using btc to fund a debit card was a new thing, while instead it was not.

I don't know enough about OKPay. Can you load your OKPay balance simply by sending coins to your address (whether it's on the card of you have it printed somewhere), or do you have to load by going to their website and doing the deposit/transfer there? I was under the impression that the new thing with BitInstant cards is that you can load them by just sending BTC to the address on the card.
legendary
Activity: 2184
Merit: 1056
Affordable Physical Bitcoins - Denarium.com
August 22, 2012, 08:47:57 AM
Just wait until BitInstant comments on this. It's not very surprising to me, BitInstant is likely working only with the bank that works with Mastercard, not with Mastercard directly. Also they didn't say they have anything against this, simply that they don't know anything about it.
sr. member
Activity: 352
Merit: 250
August 22, 2012, 08:44:53 AM
Quote
MasterCard Denies Plans For BitCoin Credit Card

http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/no-bitcoin-credit-card-planned-90058

Is it possible to do this kind of deal just with the bank and not include a card provider??
legendary
Activity: 2184
Merit: 1056
Affordable Physical Bitcoins - Denarium.com
August 22, 2012, 06:38:34 AM
Now iiiit's big time!
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 500
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