Indian freelancers earning in crypto abroad under tax department's scanner
The Indian Income Tax Department is looking into IT and consulting professionals who worked for overseas clients and got paid in cryptocurrency.
Many kept these earnings in wallets abroad and didn't report them on their tax returns, something that's catching up as remote gigs go global and the government tightens tax checks.
Tax officials are using data analytics and blockchain tools
Tax officials are reaching out to these professionals, using data analytics and blockchain tools to track unreported cryptocurrency income.
If you're an Indian resident, you're supposed to declare all global earnings (including digital assets) and pay a 30% tax (plus 1% TDS) on cryptocurrency profits.
Not reporting foreign assets could mean steep penalties under the Black Money Act, so this is definitely one to keep an eye on if you're freelancing or earning online.