Tax evaders are trying ‘novel digital assets’ to dodge authorities: Chainalysis

Italian authorities uncovered a tax evasion scheme in which an individual allegedly used Bitcoin Ordinals and the BRC-20 token standard to generate and conceal $1.1 million.

Tax dodgers have started turning to Bitcoin Ordinals, BRC-20 tokens and other digital methods in an attempt to hide their wealth from tax authorities, according to blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis.

“Tax evasion and unreported income are age-old financial crimes, but the methods used to commit them are rapidly evolving,” Chainalysis said in a report Wednesday.

Tax authorities have been scrambling to catch up with technological advances and to track and apply taxes. A March study estimated that only 32% to 56% of US crypto owners report their gains. In Norway, that percentage was only 12%, according to a study from August 2024. 

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