March 30, 2022

The Door to a New World: Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

March 30, 2022/ Ruchelman P.L.L.C.

1. The world of crypto is fast-moving. An exciting development in this space is Decentralized Finance (“DeFi”), which entered the scene in March 2020. Its use has exploded ever since. The term refers to the offering of traditional financial services not by centralized players such as banks, insurance companies, and exchanges, but through smart contracts running on blockchains. Niklas Schmidt, a partner of the Vienna office of Wolf Theiss and leader of the firm-wide tax team, and Lioba Mueller, a Rechtsreferendarin at the Regional Court of Aachen and PhD student at the University of Bonn, Germany, explain the ups and downs of this relatively new financing vehicle.

July 30, 2018

Blockchain 101

July 30, 2018/ Ruchelman P.L.L.C.

Blockchain has been in the spotlight since early 2017, mostly due to the 2017 surge in cryptocurrency values and the rise of initial coin offerings (“I.C.O.’s”). Many legal advisors have clients who use or wish to use blockchain in their businesses, and yet, the actual technology is often not discussed in the legal field. In a series of Q&A’s, Fanny Karaman and Galia Antebi explain the rationale behind blockchain technology and reasons for its reliability. Because blockchain is a decentralized system with inherent proof of work built into the program, it can eliminate the need for intermediaries, such as banks, lawyers, and brokers. Advisers should be aware of the benefits of the technology, as well as its potential for disrupting the legal landscape.

December 27, 2017

Tax 101: Virtual Currency – What Is It? And How Is It Taxed?

December 27, 2017/ Web Developer

With the recent launch of Bitcoin futures trading, this once obscure asset class may soon become a mainstream investment. Alev Fanny Karaman delves into the details of virtual currency in the U.S. context. She explains the blockchain computations that make Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies attractive to investors and the U.S. tax treatment and reporting obligations of virtual currency holders.

December 27, 2017

Austrian Guidance on Taxation of Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

December 27, 2017/ Web Developer

While wild fluctuations in the value of Bitcoin are reported daily in global press and social media, the Austrian Ministry of Finance recently summarized its views on the tax consequences of investing in this relatively new asset class. Niklas J.R.M. Schmidt and Eva Stadler of Wolf Theiss, Vienna, explain the real-life consequences of the transacting in virtual currencies.