Turkey Debunks Speculation of Taxing Crypto and Stock Returns
Turkey’s top economy official on Wednesday brushed off reports about taxing profits from stocks and crypto. But he hinted at the possibility of a “very limited” fee on transactions.
“We have not currently included taxation on profits for crypto assets and the stock market in our agenda. There may be a very limited fee or taxation on a transaction-based basis,” Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said, Daily Sabah reported, citing Anadolu Agency.
His comments came after Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Turkey was considering taxing profits from stocks and crypto. Supposedly, Simsek discussed these plans during a ruling party meeting over the weekend.
However, Simsek stated at an event that any tax amount would ultimately be determined by Parliament.
“It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the rate. Because it is a matter at the discretion of our Parliament. Our goal is to ensure justice and efficiency in taxes and to leave no area untaxed,” he said.
Last month, Turkey drafted a crypto bill, submitted by a key ruling party officials, aiming to bring Turkish crypto markets in line with international norms.
The bill is designed to get Turkey off the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) gray list, making cryptocurrency companies follow stricter rules. Second, it paves the way for officially allowing these companies to operate. The new rules involve getting licenses and following international standards, similar to how stock markets are regulated.
Earlier this year, Simsek said that the country’s crypto regulations were nearing completion. He mentioned that the objective is to minimize risks associated with crypto trading and set up licensing and operational criteria for trading platforms.
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