this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2024
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Privacy

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[–] [email protected] 58 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (4 children)

This doesn't seem that much worse than American rules that have already been in place for a long, long time.

As it is, large payments or withdrawals must be reported to federal agencies, anything over $10k. This applies to cash transactions as well and the forms the IRS requires you to fill in a $10k+ cash transaction can be found here.

The biggest difference would be the impact on cash transactions and crypto transactions in the EU.

I'm pro-privacy, but a lot more crypto facilitates crime than not, so I don't really know why people would be shocked that governments would attack crypto specifically here (literally almost all ransomware uses crypto). Looks like way more of a crackdown on crypto than cash, but maybe that's just me. (On top of the fact that a lot of crypto isn't privacy-oriented. Looking at you, Bitcoin)

Related: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/venmo-paypal-zelle-must-report-600-transactions-irs-rcna11260

Two years ago USA put in rules for commercial digital transfers over $600 to be reported. Just pointing out that the EU's rules don't seem particularly draconian when weighed against already existing rules elsewhere.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 9 months ago

This doesn't seem that much worse than American rules that have already been in place for a long, long time.

Do you really want to be like the US, though? I think maybe that's not a great idea. (Source: am from US)

[–] [email protected] 28 points 9 months ago

Just because one country has it doesn't mean another should adopt it

[–] [email protected] 21 points 9 months ago

And the USA system is bullshit and I'm against it.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Here in Germany Cash payments for houses are a great way of laundering money for the mafia. Similar roles have als been proposed a while ago

[–] [email protected] 28 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Still not a good enough reason to reduce the privacy and freedom of any citizen. I don't care if the mob uses cash, let the police track the serial numbers of their cash if they catch them doing crimes or whatever. The mob isn't my problem, but losing freedom is bad for every citizen.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

The mob isn't your problem unless you live in a society shaped heavily by them. In that case, this act has more pros than cons

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Italian here. Our right wing government who blinks an eye to all small entrepreneur in Italy (there are A TON here) recently increased the max cash payment from 2k to 5k. This is definitely a way to say "please be free to recycle a bit more oney" and to gain votes in exchange.

It's incredible how Germany, Austria, or Switzerland to name a few have this crazy high cash payment.

In fact our "ndrangheta" for example (Mafia from Calabria) expanded a lot in Germany due to this.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Italian here too. It's sad how the EU has to make us do the smart things as we are incapable of them