Backpack Exchange acquires FTX EU, plans Q1 2025 launch  

Slovenia’s Finance Ministry is considering a possible 25% tax on crypto trading profits for residents in the country under a new draft law now open for public consultation. The bill proposes to tax traders when they sell their cryptocurrency for fiat or pay for goods and services, but crypto-to-crypto and transfers between wallets owned by the same user will be exempt, Slovenia’s Finance Ministry said in an April 17 statement.Under the proposed legislation, crypto tax will be aligned with existing tax laws. Slovenia taxpayers will be required to keep a record of all their transactions for annual tax returns. The tax base would be calculated on profits by subtracting the purchase price from the sale price. In a statement to the Slovenia Times, finance minister Klemen Boštjančič said it’s unreasonable that crypto trading for individuals isn’t currently taxed in the country. “The goal of taxation of crypto assets is not to generate tax revenue, but we find it illogical and unreasonable that one of the most speculative financial instruments is not taxed at all,” he said in a statement translated from Slovenian. New tax could stifle crypto in Slovenia, lawmaker says Jernej Vrtovec, a member of Slovenia’s national assembly and New Slovenia opposition party, slammed the proposal in an April 16 statement to X, arguing it could stifle crypto growth in the country. “Slovenia has the opportunity to become a crypto-friendly country, but with the government’s proposals, we will miss the train again,” he said in a post also translated from Slovenian. “With excessive taxation, we will once again see young people and capital fleeing abroad. Taxes should encourage, not stifle.” Source: Jernej VrtovecThe proposal is open to public consultation until May 5. If Slovenian lawmakers pass the bill, it will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Slovenia introduced a 10% tax on crypto withdrawals and payments in 2023, but capital gains from occasional crypto trading are not taxed, according to the crypto tax platform Token Tax. Related: NFT trader faces prison for $13M tax fraud on CryptoPunk profitsCrypto activity can also currently be exempt from tax if it’s considered a hobby. Business activity, such as mining or staking, is subject to income tax. A previous bill proposed in April 2022 planned to levy a 5% tax on profits over 10,000 euros ($11,372), but it was never passed into law. Slovenia issued the first digital sovereign bond in the European Union on July 25 last year. It had a nominal size of 30 million euros ($32.5 million) with a 3.65% coupon and a maturity date of Nov. 25 that year. The number of crypto users in Slovenia is projected to reach roughly 98,000 in 2025, according to online data platform Statisa, with a penetration rate of 4.6% among its population of 2.12 million people. While the projected revenue for the country’s crypto market is slated to hit $2.8 million. Magazine: How crypto laws are changing across the world in 2025

One of Arizona’s crypto reserve bills has been passed by the House and is now one successful vote away from heading to the governor’s desk for official approval.Arizona’s Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Bill (SB 1373) was approved on April 17 by the House Committee of the Whole, which involves 60 House members weighing in on the bill before a third and final reading and a full floor vote.Source: Bitcoin LawsSB 1373 seeks to establish a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund made up of digital assets seized through criminal proceedings to be managed by the state’s treasurer. Arizona’s treasurer would be permitted to invest up to 10% of the fund’s total monies in any fiscal year in digital assets. The treasurer would also be able to loan the fund’s assets in order to increase returns, provided it doesn’t increase financial risks.However, a Senate-approved SB 1373 may be set back by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who recently pledged to veto all bills until the legislature passes a bill for disability funding.Hobbs also has a history of vetoing bills before the House and has vetoed 15 bills sent to her desk this week alone.Arizona is the new leader in the state Bitcoin reserve raceSB 1373 has been passing through Arizona’s legislature alongside the Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (SB 1025), which only includes Bitcoin (BTC).The bill proposes allowing Arizona’s treasury and state retirement system to invest up to 10% of the available funds into Bitcoin.SB 1025 also passed Arizona’s House Committee of the Whole on April 1 and is awaiting a full floor vote.Related: Binance helps countries with Bitcoin reserves, crypto policies, says CEORace to establish a Bitcoin reserve at the state level. Source: Bitcoin LawsUtah passed Bitcoin legislation on March 7 but scrapped the cornerstone provision establishing the Bitcoin reserve in the final reading.The Texas Senate passed a Bitcoin reserve bill on March 6, while a similar bill recently passed through New Hampshire’s House.Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a constitutional law authorizing the launch of a central bank digital currency pilot project while also giving the “digital som” — the national currency in digital form — legal tender status.The law gives the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic the exclusive right to issue the digital som, establish the rules for its issuance and circulation, and oversee the platform on which the national currency will operate, Kyrgyzstan’s presidential office said on April 17.However, a final decision on whether to officially issue the CBDC is not expected until the end of 2026, local outlet Trend News Agency reported in December.If the central bank decides to adopt the digital som, it would also need to outline cryptographic protection measures to ensure the digital som remains secure and isn’t used for fraudulent transactions.Testing of the digital som platform is expected to take place sometime this year.Zhaparov’s sign-off comes nearly a month after Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, approved the amendment to Kyrgyzstan’s constitutional law on March 18.CBDCs continue to be heavily criticized by some members of the crypto community, flagging concerns that they could undermine financial privacy and enable excessive government oversight, among other things.While 115 nations have initiated CBDC projects, only four CBDCs have officially launched — the Bahamas Sand Dollar, Nigeria’s e-Naira, Zimbabwe’s ZiG and Jamaica’s JAM-DEX, data from cbdctracker.org shows.Over 90 CBDC projects are yet to move past the research stage.Kyrgyzstan continues to make moves in cryptoEarlier this month, former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said he would begin advising Kyrgyzstan on blockchain and crypto-related regulation after signing a memorandum of understanding with the country’s foreign investment agency.Zhaparov said the initiative would assist with the growth of the economy and the security of virtual assets, “generating new opportunities for businesses and society as a whole.”Source: Sadyr ZhaparovRelated: Bitcoin price levels to watch as Fed rate cut hopes fadeThe mountainous, land-locked country is considered well-suited for crypto mining operations due to its abundant renewable energy resources, much of which is underutilized.Over 30% of Kyrgyzstan’s total energy supply comes from hydroelectric power plants, but only 10% of the country’s potential hydropower has been tapped, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.Magazine: Your AI ‘digital twin’ can take meetings and comfort your loved ones