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If you really had pins for trade, you'd have to declare them on the customs form (you'd be importing them), and selling them would likely count as commerce not valid for a tourist visa.


IIRC, he was on a Visa Waiver, so I don't think that applies.


You can only get a visa waiver if you fall within the requirements of a tourist visa, plus additional restrictions. And visa waiver entry still requires that you fill out a customs form.


If you are carrying more than $10,000 worth of securities or cash, you have to declare that. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with owning more than $10,000 worth of securities and liquidating them while you're visiting the US.

Here's the official government documentation on the matter:

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/tr...

"If you receive in the US, currency ... exceeding $10,0000 at one time ... you must file Form 105."


But everyone entering the United States has to fill out a customs declaration that lists the value of goods being brought into the country.


If you have $9,999 in your wallet and a bank account with $1,000,000,000,000, though, you don't have to mention cash on your customs declaration form.


What if you have US$10,000 in your bitcoin wallet on your laptop? Is that the same as US$10,000 worth of collectable pins in your suitcase, or the same as US$10,000 worth of code/IP on your laptop (which I can't imagine anyone declaring in customs)?


What if the bitcoin wallet isnt on your laptop but in the cloud?


Then it's the same as any other asset you have access to but isn't liquid, so it's not an interesting question when you're talking about how much you can take through customs without declaring it.


The visa waiver can be for tourism or for business. It has two checkboxes. When I visit the US, it's for work meetings, so I check business.




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