Will the internet get taxed in 2026?

💸 Tax-free for decades

For decades, a rule at the World Trade Organization (WTO) prevented countries from charging customs duties on digital products. This basically meant most online stuff was tax-free, helping ecommerce boom.

This perk just got extended until 2026 - but has a big question mark after that.

Think of it like a free trial ending. While some countries are happy with the extension, others are eyeing a potential goldmine.

📝 What’s happening?

Digital trade, like streaming your favorite show, is a much bigger player in the global economy than ever before.

Countries see the massive profits made by tech giants and want a piece of the pie. Tariffs, or basically taxes on digital goods, could be a way to do that.

💳️ What it could mean for you

The problem? Nobody really knows how these digital tariffs would work in practice. The internet was just a baby in 1998 when the rule was first created, and nobody foresaw the tech giants of today.

Plus, slapping tariffs on things like online movies or software downloads could backfire. It could make things more expensive for everyone, from businesses to regular people.

Some countries, especially developing ones, are betting on these tariffs to boost their income. Others worry it'll just make everything more expensive and stifle competition.