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Maybe I'm not following... but are you suggesting that having to give away a portion of a realized gain on BTC to taxes is at a transaction disadvantage compared to fiat that has no realized gain to tax?

Garbage nsec 2mo ago

For most consumers the accounting cost and effort will far outweigh any gains, given the small volume. You literally have to account for every single transaction, including hilariously tiny ones, and it's very complex to calculate the delta.

You need the date and time of disposal, the cost base (the AUD value you originally paid for that specific portion of BTC), the proceeds (the AUD value of whatever at the time of purchase), and the resultant capital gain or loss. Who on earth is going to put themselves through that hell if they don't have to?

Maybe down the line some fancy software will help, but only so much.

Also there's the question of why pay the capital gains now when you might not have to pay it later? Tax laws change, and if the current amount is high then a future amount will surely be lower.

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Abstract Equilibrium 2mo ago

Strike to Square. Tax problem solved.

Consumer disposes fiat for coffee, merchant gets whatever they want, and visa gets...nothing

Garbage nsec 2mo ago

And accountant gets the equivalent of several venti lattes.

Chicken Legs 2mo ago

Thanks I’m going to look into that

Chicken Legs 2mo ago

I would say the accounting cost can be overcome with automated services, personal use exemptions, non kyc, and circular economies - Kinda like just spending in cash.

I was referring more to the appeal of btc transactions not being strong enough to overcome the learning curve for newbies, or to overcome the want to hold btc.

Garbage nsec 2mo ago

The bigger problem is that when you compare bitcoin to all the other options out there, including stablecoins, the only reason to choose to pay with bitcoin and not one of those other options is ideological.

Chicken Legs 2mo ago

Yeah you’re right, it’s a big factor. I do think there are other great strengths already though.

- I think being able to essentially do digital cashies is absolutely massive, especially as adoption increases.

- Able to avoid card fees and surcharges.

- Not needing permission for certain payments.

- A self managed level of privacy attached to payments.

- Not needing to disclose financial information in order to make a payment (credit card deets).

- Smart contracts for more complex pay setups

I think what your saying about idealogical preference is obviously a big reason for lots of people. But I think that the idealogical push will eventually lead to greater acceptance. Which will hopefully lead to even more favourable conditions like de minimis exemptions for transacting. And eventually straight up monetary adoption.

Do you think it can head that way?

Garbage nsec 2mo ago

The crux is that other digital methods get you all the advantages you listed with fewer drawbacks. It's not a binary choice between fiat and Bitcoin.

For the average person Bitcoin (vs other digital) is much harder to acquire out of band. You can't even top up with a debit card on Strike anymore. Now on Strike you have to go through USDT via Tron. (Yes on Strike you need USDT.) And if you're going to acquire USDT on Tron then you have all you need already, just pay in USDT, save the runaround.

And if you believe Bitcoin will go up and up then you're basically making you future self poorer by paying for your new fridge in Bitcoin as opposed to dumping your not-going-to-go-up currency. You're making yourself a chump.

At the end of the day it really does all hinge on a quasi-religious argument. But a lot of people have religion already.