transactietaks

Transactietaks, or transaction tax, is a levy applied to the execution of a transaction, most commonly on financial trades such as the purchase or sale of securities, currencies, or derivatives. It can also refer to taxes on the transfer of assets, including real estate, and is typically collected at the point of sale or transfer. The tax base is usually the value of the transaction, and the rate can be fixed or expressed as a percentage of price.

Forms and scope can vary. A financial transaction tax (FTT) targets trades in financial instruments and may apply to one or both sides of a trade, depending on the design. Stamp duties and transfer taxes are other kinds of transactietaks applied to document execution or asset transfers, including real estate or shares. Some regimes exempt long-term investments or jam-pack exemptions to limit unintended consequences for savers or pension funds.

Rationale and effects are debated. Proponents argue that transactietaks can raise revenue with potentially limited impact on real activity, and may reduce short-term speculative trading or market volatility. Critics warn that higher trading costs can reduce liquidity, widen bid-ask spreads, and shift trading activity to other jurisdictions, potentially harming market efficiency and increasing costs for investors, including ordinary savers.

Global experience shows a mixed record. There is no universal, widely adopted global tax on all financial transactions; several countries have implemented partial FTTs or stamp duties with varying coverage and exemptions, while international coordination on a broad FTT remains limited.