Transfer Pricing Spotlight: Cryptocurrency
By Farnaz Amini Newell, PhD, Director, Transfer Pricing
2023 saw significant regulatory advancements in the cryptocurrency industry. These advancements signal the need for greater reporting requirements for all companies operating in the crypto space. Given the U.S. and international regulatory requirements, multinational enterprises (MNEs), such as global crypto exchanges, are organized across various jurisdictions. The cross-border nature of typical transactions, such as management and research and development (R&D) services, makes transfer pricing analyses critical to ensuring compliance with local requirements and optimizing intercompany transactions.
In recent years, cryptocurrency mining operations have experienced significant volatility related to the effects of the global pandemic and the ban on cryptocurrency mining operations in China. The market drop in 2022 triggered the collapse of FTX. In response to the Chinese crackdown, mining operations were significantly reduced, with only 25 percent of mining operations active in the Chinese shadow economy. Currently, 65 percent of mining operations are located in the U.S. due to factors such as lower levels of political risk, appropriate climate, a cheap and reliable power grid, and access to renewable energy sources. Consequently, the U.S. has become a top destination for relocated and new mining operations.
On the other hand, these companies must now plan on managing the tax implications of a U.S.-based business. Although the U.S. provides a suitable location for mining, it imposes significant taxes on realized cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. As such, many cryptocurrency mining groups are not incentivized to receive allocations of cryptocurrency in the U.S. jurisdiction and opt for developing an international structure with intercompany arrangements that allow for the mining of cryptocurrency in the U.S. while the allocation of crypto rewards a foreign parent.
To achieve efficient business and tax structures, multinational players can develop an intercompany value chain that allows for the compensation of value drivers consistent with the functions performed, assets used, and risks borne.
Considering the increased scrutiny on cryptocurrencies, being proactive and preparing a transfer pricing study can serve as a defense against an IRS transfer pricing audit.
