China Taxes Profits from Virtual Currencies
The tax, announced today by China's State Administration of Taxation, "specifically takes aim at those who buy virtual currency from gamers and surfers and sell it to others at a mark-up," according to a Wall Street Journal report noticed by Gamasutra.
Under the new law, the 20% tax will be levied on individuals--not corporations--who profit from selling virtual currencies. The policy applies to gold farmers in MMOs like World of Warcraft as well as those in China's booming market for Web-based virtual currencies, such as QQ Coins used in Tencent's popular instant messaging program QQ.
The tax has met a lukewarm reception among Chinese internet users, to the surprise of few. However, one of the detractors' arguments stands out: valuing virtual currencies for tax purposes may prove difficult, as the Chinese government has banned pegging virtual currencies to the yuan. "It's difficult to prove the original value of virtual currency," said a blogger in the Journal's report.
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Phunk
replyWhile I understand the reasons for a government wanting to institute such a policy for monetary gain, it seems to me that taxation of controversial policies is in effect a support of them. My concern is that the Chinese government, by instituting such policies, is in effect saying that it's OK for people to perform unethical behavior, as long as they pay the government. This to me seems wrong.
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