The convergence between artificial intelligence (AI) and Bitcoin (BTC) and the cryptocurrency ecosystem is creating a dilemma that global tax systems are not equipped to solve.
As figures like Changpeng Zhao and Brian Armstrong predict a future in which AI agents use BTC and other cryptocurrencies to conduct millions of financial transactions, fundamental questions arise for governments about how to tax entities that have no physical presence or legal identity.
José Antonio Bravo, a Spanish economist and tax advisor specializing in digital assets, addressed this issue in episode 24 of his podcast CriptoNoticias, titled “Separation of Money from the State.”
According to Bravo, surveillance of these organizations represents one of today’s most serious challengesThis is because they operate in a dimension that escapes traditional bureaucratic control. The basis of the problem lies in the ontological nature of these entities.
Mr. Bravo is different from traditional companies and individuals active on the Internet. AI agents are not humans who create digital identities To have a dialogue. In his words, it’s “an entity that doesn’t exist in the physical world and transacts outside of the physical world, in the digital world. It’s a completely native digital thing.”
This function breaks the link necessary for tax collection, that is, the link between economic activity and responsible natural or legal persons. Therefore, the feasibility of current identification mechanisms is questionable. Face this new reality.
How do you stop an agent from using your private key to open your wallet and using your private key to initiate transactions with other agents who have your wallet? How do you identify who is working with that agent and who is working with other agents?
Jose Antonio Bravo
The lack of identity associated with know-your-customer (KYC) processes allows these companies to operate autonomously using digital currencies as a natural financial fuel.
For Bravo, trying to apply the current laws of the physical world to this digital phenomenon is a fundamental mistake. Because we are trying to “measure the digital economy in the blocks and units of measurement of the physical world.” He described it as a very difficult job.
Unable to find taxable event
One of the pillars of modern taxation is tax residence. However, offshoring is the norm in the Bitcoin ecosystem. The AI agents are hosted on servers in Iceland and programmed by teams distributed in Spain and Venezuela, and execute transactions that are settled with borderless Bitcoin addresses, Bravo said.
Bravo emphasizes that this fragmentation: It becomes virtually impossible to determine where value is generated. “We’re talking about entities that are on a network and can be replicated on multiple servers, not necessarily on servers in one country,” he explained.
This reality negates the ability of states to apply taxes based on the destination or source of funds. In other words, in a transaction between two AI agents that are not located anywhere, The possibility of taxation will be zero.
Even the idea of sanctioning non-compliance becomes a logical condemnation. The problem is that when tax evasion or violations by self-governing agents occur; Justice will face a vacuum of responsibility.
Based on that premise, Bravo poses the questions that arise in this scenario. “Do you want to sanction the person who created it?” Do you sanction the developer? Do you approve the location of the server where the language model is hosted? “It’s very complicated,” he stressed.
AI takes refuge in Bitcoin, not banks
AI adoption of Bitcoin is not just a preference, it is a technological necessity.
As industry leaders such as Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong have pointed out, AI agents lack legal personality and cannot open traditional bank accounts.
You also can’t show up at a “marble” office to provide identification, as Pantera Capital’s Dan Morehead noted.
Bitcoin is a permissionless, open-source protocol that allows AI agents to manage wallets and send payments instantly around the world. This competitive advantage positions digital currencies as the default financial infrastructure for autonomous economies, leaving central banks and tax authorities behind. It is removed from the operating equation.
Mr. Bravo agrees that this is a major challenge facing supranational organizations like the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today.
“Taxing the digital economy will be very complex,” the advisor said, stressing that digital assets will become invisible to 21st century management tools.
For humans, everything is more complicated
AI agents operate in an almost complete regulatory vacuum, while human investors face a fragmented tax map in Europe. As Bravo explains, some countries Compete to attract capital by offering attractive institutions Regarding crypto assets.
Germany maintains a 0% exemption on capital gains if assets are held for more than one year. Malta exempts income earned outside its territory, and the Czech Republic offers preferential treatment after three years of ownership. However, in the Netherlands, holding taxes are applied annually depending on performance.
Jose Antonio Bravo in Spain Highlight a striking contrast: Profits from trading or investing in Bitcoin are taxed on a savings basis at a rate of up to nearly 30%. On the other hand, for high salaries, personal income taxes can exceed 45-50%.
The economist said that “many people believe that engaging in trading is more financially beneficial than continuing in a traditional job,” but warned that if the activity is deemed professional, authorities could reclassify your income and impose higher taxes.
It is precisely in this complex situation for humans that AI agents begin to function. Bravo’s conclusion is clear. The digital economy is led by AI agents and Bitcoin. It exceeds the capacity of each country.
This challenge is not only technical, but also conceptual. In essence, humanity is entering an era where value is generated, transmitted, and stored in a digital world that recognizes no borders or physical identity. Traditional tax systems therefore face the need to reinvent themselves.
(Tag translation) Bitcoin (BTC)
