[Poll]: full OMNI to ERC20 swap

Yes although unrelated, dividends are taxable it as income.

Agree, this is important.

Certainly. Any proof of a country that can tax 1 to 1 par value transfers would be of real interest and so far has been presented with dire warnings and fear as if it is fact for the majority, with no supporting evidence.

Unfortunately that has already happened for quite some time now (years), with misinformation and fearmongering on Tax has been the main method, probably because of @dirvine previous run-ins with the tax authorities so it hits close to home. With luck we can get to the truth of the matter this time around and not give in to pure bullying (more on this below).

Just trying to get to the truth, nothing personal. You did not reply to my query above, and to paraphrase @bones: Your making statements against conversion that make no sense to me while dismissing other people’s concerns.

Just looking for hard evidence for the supposed transfer Tax, and “this is how it is, take MY word for it”, or legal documents that obviously do not apply do not cut it. Again, nothing personal just trying to get to the truth since this one topic derailed Maid-ERC20 two years ago.

This is great, thanks for asking @Sonder. So there is only a tax obligation in your jurisdiction if it is not a 1 to 1 par value transfer, as would be expected. To corroborate this, On the HMRC (emphasis mine):

Where a shareholder exchanges shares (the old holding) for other shares (the new holding) as part of a sale, reorganisation or reconstruction of a company, provided certain conditions are met, the shareholder is not treated as having made a disposal of the old holding for the purposes of the taxation of chargeable gains. Instead, the shareholder is treated as having acquired the new holding at the same time, and for the same consideration, as the old holding.
…
The general principle underlying the tax neutrality of these transactions is that the ultimate owners (i.e. shareholders) of a business retain an interest in that business after the transaction has taken place. On the broad basis that there has been no change in the economic interests of those affected by the share exchange or reconstruction and that no value has been extracted from the underlying business as a result, it is inappropriate to tax the transaction.

Again this suggests that, including the UK, 1 to 1 par value transfers are not considered a disposal events, or subject to any capital gains.

Here is a way the community can settle this matter for a lot of jurisdictions, once and for all: Binance and Bittrex have already performed forced transfer of crypto asset (USDT) on one protocol (omni) to the “same one” (USDT) on another protocol (ERC20) for millions of users, billions of dollars transferred in customer accounts. This is exactly the kind of transfer that is being proposed here. The tax implications if they existed would have been very large. I have spent and hour searching and there is zero evidence this was a taxable event, anywhere. I have also contacted Poloniex support for any clarification of the tax consequence of their upcoming forced migration. (I went back to double check my records, and Poloniex does not forcefully migrate until the end of this month so it could not have generated a taxable event for me until I next submit accounts. “On April 30, 2021, we will migrate your USDT to a new chain. There is no action required on your part.”).

However to make sure “The Price & Trading topic” is the longest running largest thread here, so the chances are very good people had USDT on Bittrex (or Binance) during the forced conversion: Did it trigger a taxable event for anyone, anywhere? If we are really lucky @dirvine and/or MaidSafe had USDT on one of these exchanges during the forced transfer, in that case the matter can be settled definitively with their accountant at least from their point of view. This also has implications for future SN Token, so well worth getting to the bottom of.

Great when there is a clear path to resolving a bug/dispute.

4 Likes

This is the main issue that is being confused. Evidence or each case being taken on it’s own merits. For instance we can get “an opinion” from HMRC if we pay some accountants to do this. MaidSafe have instructed for opinions on a few matters around crypto. If HMRC offer an opinion they can still change their mind though, it just helps any “argument”.

It should not be fearmongering, but we all need to be clear here.

In the UK at least the tax laws around crypto (not shares) are in their infancy. HMRC can tax crypto at 100% for instance and the hold the legel rights to do so. So let us take that in!.

Then you have

Note the word Forced and part of a company re-organisation THe former would require some capability of a company to compel, the latter would require that somehow a crypto currency was under a companies control and they could re-organise it.

Both are grey areas you are now in and that is not going against the accountant’s consideration here. If you also note the accountant “would argue” and this is normal. Accountants do put arguments to HMRC, however in crypto what I found was the arguments are not heard. This is true of many in the UK wrt crypto and tax.

So there is no hard set rules, there is no specific ruling on a 1:1 transfer for crypto in the UK, but there are arguments to be made and opinions to be sought.

I am no accountant and to be clear no accountant I have spoken to has been clear on these matters. They offer their best advice, but we know that if HMRC don’t accept that then you are in trouble.

So unless HMRC or any other authority specifically state the particular rules, for 1:1 swaps, NFT or anything else, we have to assume there is a possibility of a taxable event (disposal).

So it’s not fearmongering (I don’t think you were saying I was though), I think it is more act with great care. Getting opinions is our best bet, but not certain. The more you do try to follow the rules and opinions the better your case, but BOE have openly stated an extreme dislike and mistrust of crypto, HMRC are not far away from there too. So care is needed and no assumptions can be made with comfort.

Even the fact these conversations exist is good though. I wish they did 4 years ago :wink:

11 Likes

Good info. I guess the final question is how did these exchanges report the transaction? Or did they? If was a sell-buy from one to another that’s bad. US considers crypto a security and it sounds like UK does too. If any kind of sale then capital gains could apply. But if just a bookkeeping change (or no reported change at all) then is most likely a non-issue. The key is the exchange and how they report.

How would this work for the ERC20 conversion? Who would report that and how would it be reported? If it’s just up to the individual that’s much different than if an exchange was going to send something in to the government.

1 Like

I would add the question, exactly what is it that your reporting? I had 100 Maid in account A, now I have 100 Maid in account B instead. A transfer not a transaction. Did any tax authority anywhere care what protocol Bittrex, Binance used for USDT before and after the forced conversion when people submitted their tax returns? As far as I can see, it was a non-issue.

Thanks for the clarification David. Did you/Maidsafe happen to have USDT on Bittrex (or Binance) when the protocol changed from Omni to ERC20 in 2019? If so this could provide a lot of clarity in your accounts as to how it is to be treated given how it is almost exactly the same process.

I would only add that Maid-ERC20 conversion and tax consequences, if any do exist, should only apply to those who take the option to do the 1 to 1 par value transfer.

3 Likes

No we have only ever had OMNI/MAID and BTC.

Yes, I agree, but that does make it optional and not forced (as per @Sonder msg above). I think optional is best though and we can tell folk that the recommendation (as with all crypto) is to get Tax advice in their own jurisdiction. That way we all keep clean and nobody is forced into any issues outwith their control.

Good convo actually.

8 Likes

can every one double check there votes are as they cast them.
twice now my vote has changed to the opposite of what I voted.

not sure if its my browser I am currently using Brave

1 Like

It hasn’t changed for me.

Is your Shield in Brave off, for the forum?

rect817


Privacy. Security. Freedom

yes shields are down I initially voted yes and now my vote is showing as no.
just in case my figure was to fat when I voted should I be able to change vote now or is it locked ?

2 Likes

Click on the show vote button and you will be able to change it :dragon:


Privacy. Security. Freedom

I tried on brave & chrome on pc and brave on android and I cant change it back.

1 Like

If someone else has this problem, try clearing your browser’s cache. @neik vote is correctly marked.


Privacy. Security. Freedom

2 Likes

I am officially an idiot it was the dark theme inviting the colours !!
thanks @Dimitar for figuring it out

1 Like

Not sure how difficult but I’m sure there’s a lot of clues in the omniexplorer code about how to parse the raw blockchain data into a simpler data structure to work with and create snapshots.

5 Likes

Looks like we could use the omni_listblocktransactions RPC on each block, then filter out the MAID transactions

3 Likes

The tax implications are probably different depending on the country and its tax laws. Some may get roll over relief and others taxed

2 Likes

Sorry, this thread is too long to read from scratch.

Did anyone suggest the idea of just giving a maid-e to everyone with a maid-o?

Maid-o becomes worthless as maid-e would be used when things go live.

That avoids the taxable event.

No, this topic is tiring and draining and just won’t die. So much entropy. Tax implications always, chances are (worst case scenario) you will need to sell maid, pay capgains, then buy snt during launch conversion with remains. Invest in a professional tax accountant. Omni serves its purpose. Forced conversion is a nightmare. Any time spent on an option to wrap maid might also translate to tools for wrapped snt. Some challenges to solve for a wrap. We have rapid testnet iterations being launched this week that are more important.

2 Likes

From my experience, tiring and draining topics do become if one fails at zooming out and seeing what other are onto and pushes too vehemently for something that can’t be or against something that is going to be no matter what.

When it comes to topics, not dying tends to be a pretty compelling argument in itself. Whatever doesn’t die usually lives on for a reason.

2 Likes

We might get real safe network tokens before any ERC20 … or, just as the ERC20 swap is complete real safenet tokens are released.

The full Flemming release doesn’t feel too far away.

3 Likes

My thoughts exactly. The right app on a stable safe network can make erc20 evaporate. Or just wrap some SNT when launch time comes if you want to attract the erc20 crowd… until the safe app that serves as an erc20 killer is released.

2 Likes