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Comment by toomuchtodo | Hacker News Reader

If you don't report your crypto exchanges because crypto is outlawed, it becomes a tax crime (The People vs Al Capone) [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone#Tax_evasion

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Yes, that was implied, but there is no easy way of finding out who is committing that crime, at large or small scales.

I have no doubt the IRS can pay technologists to implement such chain surveillance, in concert with other government agencies also interested in such data feeds. Money talks (no pun intended).

If I were to see such an RFP, I'd bid on it myself.

The IRS, in terms of of maximizing their tax collection, would almost certainly be better off using that money on (admittedly expensive) enforcement action against those who use traditional tax avoidance techniques. As you say, money talks.

I'm sure they could watch a few known wallets but how do they watch everyone globally while identifying and connecting Americans? Now throw in different kind of coins and what you are assuming is possible is not possible.

https://www.chainalysis.com/ is a company who has demonstrated such analysis is possible. Nation states have effectively unlimited resources. Any crypto exchange in a country with a financial regulatory system can and likely will be required to report transaction data.

I had a look at the website. They are looking at a limited number of accounts and trying to go deep connecting real world data for high profile cases.

Scaling that to every taxpayer or even every taxpayer in the largest apartment in Boise would be impossible using the same techniques.

>Nation states have effectively unlimited resources.

I hope you realize this is utter nonsense.

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