VATupdate Newsletter Week 24+25 2025

SWEAT

Due to personal circumstances, we weren’t able to post last week’s newsletter. So here are two newsletters combined into one. It’s like going to the gym after you’ve taken a break: you have some catching up to do.

And to stick with that analogy—there’s nothing quite like a good workout. Muscles burning, lungs pumping, forehead glistening—each drop of sweat evidence that you’re doing a good job. But thanks to recent developments, your sweat is no longer just a sign of effort. It’s data.

Scientists have developed a wearable patch that monitors dehydration levels by analysing your sweat in real time. Tiny sensors embedded in the patch detect changes in electrolyte concentration, helping athletes and everyday joggers optimise hydration with scientific precision. It’s no longer just how much you sweat—it’s what your sweat says about you.

And while the gym might be the first place this tech is tested, it’s hard not to think of the parallels in the tax world. Because if you thought only your personal trainer was tracking your performance, think again. In the age of e-invoicing mandates, real-time reporting, and the ever-expanding oversight of digital platforms, tax authorities have developed a keen interest in your numbers—and yes, in how much you’re sweating.

Running a small business on a marketplace platform? They know. Selling handcrafted dog sweaters through an app? DAC7 has you covered—literally and digitally. Receiving invoices by email? Soon that might not be good enough. With real-time reporting, structured formats, and cross-border transparency, VAT compliance has entered its cardio phase.

What used to be a back-office chore is now a performance monitored in real time. One slip, one forgotten invoice, and your fiscal fitness score might just dip below the healthy threshold. And while your smartwatch might advise more water, your tax dashboard might recommend a call to your VAT advisor.

So yes, wear that sweat patch at the gym. Monitor your hydration, track your electrolytes. But don’t be surprised if someday, you’ll be wearing a fiscal version too. Because in today’s data-driven economy, it’s not just your gym that wants to know how much you’re sweating—your tax authority does too.

So grab a towel, hydrate, and make sure your VAT processes are keeping pace. And for a daily dose of VAT news from around the world—no sweat—just visit VATupdate.com.

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas that you want to share with us, please send us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment under the posts of this newsletter on LinkedIn.

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