Original sourceSeoul Economic Daily
Summary
South Korea plans to tax crypto gains starting January 1 next year and may tax payments for goods or services made with stablecoins such as USDT. The rule: if the stablecoin's value at payment exceeds its acquisition cost, the difference is taxable income. Income from transferring or lending crypto…
Key points
- Individuals and merchants using or accepting stablecoin payments in Korea must understand in advance the taxable timing and the practical difficulty of proving cost.
- Treating stablecoin payments themselves as a taxable event could change adoption willingness and compliance costs for everyday crypto payments in South Korea.
- Users may generate taxable income simply by paying with stablecoins; proving cost and dates from overseas exchanges is difficult, and merchants and wallet providers must prepare transaction record tools.
Editorial note
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