Hey man, just read about the Netherlands — they're cooking up something nasty. Starting 2028 (if the law passes), crypto holders will owe taxes not just when they sell, but simply for holding Bitcoin in their wallet. Yeah, you heard right — unrealized gains are now in the crosshairs.
Before, they taxed based on a fictional "assumed yield." Flawed, but at least not tied to spot price. Now they want to tax you on the actual year-end valuation. Bought BTC at $20k, now it's $90k — and even if you didn't touch it, the state already booked your "profit" and sent the bill.
Feels like property tax on a house you're not renting or selling. Except crypto's volatile: today $90k, tomorrow $40k — but the tax was already calculated at the peak. Where's the fairness in that?
I get the push for "clarity," but this hits hodlers hardest — the ones actually betting on the long game. Institutions? They've got accountants, lawyers, hedging tools. But the average guy with sats in a cold wallet now faces a brutal dilemma every December: "Do I sell just to cover the tax?"
Question is: if other countries follow Netherlands' lead, will long-term holding become a luxury only the rich can afford — while small players get priced out by annual tax traps?
