irs

The decentralized finance (DeFi) market is showing strong signs of recovery, especially as the U.S. government has supportive policies for crypto. Some reports from market analysis organizations suggest that DeFi could enter a new growth phase thanks to greater legal clarity and increasing interest from financial institutions.
New policies pave the way for DeFi
The current legal environment is more open to blockchain technology and decentralized finance. These changes could help reduce legal barriers, facilitating stronger development of DeFi projects.

#IRS
On November 18th, as per Decrypt's report, the Trump administration recently put forward a regulatory proposal. The aim of this proposal is to enable the IRS to obtain crucial information about US citizens' overseas cryptocurrency accounts and enforce taxation. According to a notification on the government website, the Treasury Department's cooperative proposal for the US to join the international cryptocurrency tax reporting framework was submitted to the White House last Friday, and it will be reviewed by the President's advisory team. Earlier this year, the White House urged the Treasury Department and the IRS to formulate relevant rules in order to promote the US's participation in the "Cryptocurrency Asset Reporting Framework" established by the OECD in 2022. This multilateral agreement requires member countries to automatically share citizens' cryptocurrency asset information to combat cross-border tax evasion. Currently, among the G7, hubs for cryptocurrency such as Japan, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, the UK, the UAE, Singapore, the Bahamas have all signed. In a cryptocurrency policy report released this summer, Trump's cryptocurrency advisory team proposed that the US join this framework. The White House stated at that time: "Implementing CARF will prevent taxpayers from transferring digital assets to overseas trading platforms, promote the growth and application of US digital assets, and avoid putting the US at a competitive disadvantage due to the lack of reporting mechanisms." The report requested the Treasury Department and the IRS to study specific implementation plans, but it emphasized that "no new reporting requirements should be set for DeFi transactions." According to the plan, the global deployment of CARF is scheduled to officially commence in 2027.

As part of a broad initiative to reduce the federal workforce, the IRS is considering laying off up to 50% of its employees. These measures include mass layoffs, incentive buyouts, and early retirements, potentially affecting up to 45,000 workers. This decision is a key component of President Donald Trump’s administration, spearheaded by Elon Musk, aiming to drastically cut government spending.
First Wave of Layoffs Has Already Begun
At the start of Trump’s presidency, the IRS employed nearly 100,000 people. Since February 20, the agency has already laid off approximately 7,000 employees, primarily those still in their probationary period without job protections. According to the New York Times, the remaining employees are being offered resignation packages.
Tax expert Mike Sylvester warned that cutting the workforce in half could severely disrupt the agency’s operations, causing delays in tax processing and refunds. “Americans could be waiting much longer for tax returns, and overall tax services may deteriorate,” Sylvester noted.
When Will the Next Layoffs Happen?
The IRS has yet to specify a clear timeline for additional layoffs. However, reports suggest that some dismissals have been postponed until the spring, after the peak tax season ends. The agency is currently overwhelmed with processing tax returns, meaning some critical positions remain temporarily unaffected.
Nevertheless, the administration remains firm in its goal to reduce the IRS workforce to just 45,000 employees. This drastic reduction could lead to longer wait times for tax refunds, fewer audits of large corporations, and an overall weaker enforcement of tax laws.

IRS Leadership Faces Pressure Amid Workforce Cuts
According to sources, IRS leadership is facing intense pressure as a result of the mass layoffs. Two key senior officials have already resigned, and acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause reportedly placed the chief human resources officer on administrative leave this week.
Meanwhile, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Gavin Kliger and Sam Corcos, has reportedly been actively reviewing IRS operations as part of Musk’s broader cost-cutting initiative. The organization is pushing for access to IRS databases containing detailed contractor information.
“Cutting the IRS in half at a time when even 90,000 employees aren’t enough due to outdated technology is extremely risky,” Sylvester warned.
How Will Layoffs Impact IRS Audits and Tax Enforcement?
According to experts, mass layoffs could significantly weaken the IRS’s ability to conduct audits and enforce tax laws. Vanessa Williamson, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, stated that reducing IRS staff could effectively end efforts to monitor tax evasion among the ultra-wealthy.
Currently, the IRS employs around 90,000 people across the United States, with over 56% of its workforce being minorities and 65% being women. Labor unions and former IRS officials have strongly opposed the layoffs, warning that they could severely impact the agency’s ability to function.
“With fewer employees, there will be fewer tax audits on wealthy Americans and corporations, potentially leading to a significant drop in tax revenue,” former IRS commissioners warned in a joint statement.
IRS Employees May Be Transferred to Homeland Security
In an unexpected move, some IRS employees could be transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assist with immigration enforcement. In February, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem formally requested that IRS reallocate staff to help with border security and other enforcement tasks.
However, sources suggest that employees involved in processing 2025 tax returns have been restricted from accepting Musk’s buyout offers until after the April tax filing deadline.
What’s Next for the IRS?
With continued pressure to shrink the federal government, the IRS is expected to undergo further layoffs and restructuring. Any additional changes could have a significant impact on the speed and efficiency of tax collection in the United States.

#IRS , #CryptoNewss ,#TaxPolicy , #ElonMusk , #DonaldTrump

Stay one step ahead – follow our profile and stay informed about everything important in the world of cryptocurrencies!
Notice:
,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“

Will this new regulation pose challenges for users participating in the DeFi market in 2027?

On July 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued final regulations requiring custodial brokers to report transaction information for assets they manage on behalf of their clients. Additionally, they warned that similar regulations would be applied to non-custodial brokers in the future.

On December 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury officially announced regulations applicable to DeFi, focusing on trading front-end services that enable individual investors to interact with DeFi protocols.
According to the plan, these regulations will take effect on January 1, 2025. Starting in 2027, brokers will be required to disclose information on the total proceeds from the sale of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, including details related to taxpayers involved in such transactions.
The IRS has analyzed DeFi operations into three distinct layers:
Interface Layer: Where users interact directly, such as trading applications or digital wallets.Application Layer: Where transaction logic is processed, such as smart contracts or DeFi protocols.Settlement Layer: Where actual transactions are executed and recorded on the blockchain.
Although there have been objections arguing that applying traditional securities trading models as a reference is inappropriate due to the significant differences between DeFi and securities trading, the IRS maintains that this model is useful in understanding and defining the fundamental steps of transactions.

According to the IRS, these regulations simply treat DeFi like any other industry, asserting that similar rules have been applied to brokers for over 40 years.

"The Treasury Department and the IRS disagree with the notion that these final regulations show bias against the DeFi industry or that they will discourage the adoption of this technology by law-abiding customers."

-- The IRS stated that... --
The new regulations will apply to digital asset transactions starting in 2027. Brokers will be required to begin collecting and reporting necessary data for digital asset transactions starting in 2026. According to the IRS, between 650 and 875 DeFi projects are expected to be affected by these regulations.
"Reporting information by DeFi brokers under Section 6045 will lead to higher tax compliance, as income earned from digital asset transactions of taxpayers not routed through custodial brokers will become more transparent to both the IRS and the taxpayers."
-- The IRS emphasized that... --
The IRS only applies the reporting obligation to parties that are actually able to collect and provide useful transaction information, such as front-end trading platforms. Other parties that cannot or do not have access to important information will be exempt from this obligation.

Some users on X believe that the new regulations will make it more complicated to participate in the crypto market. They are concerned that transaction processes will be burdened with more regulations, and the requirement to pay taxes will add financial and procedural burdens. This could make participating in the market less straightforward, especially for individual users.

The altcoin market also reacted negatively to this news, with most projects experiencing a slight decline.

#NewsAboutCrypto #CryptoNewss #IRS #defi