Bitcoin Group is planning to list on the Australian Stock Exchange next month, making it one of the first bitcoin companies to float on an official stock exchange, reports the Australian Financial Review.

The Melbourne-based group is hoping to raise $20 million at 20¢ a share from ­investors.

“It’s a cleanskin listing,” Bitcoin Group founder, Sam Lee, told the AFR.

“We’re not doing a reverse listing because we only want people who believe in us, instead of having a whole lot of baggage along for the ride,” he said.

“Australia is more advanced than the US and listing on the main board of the ASX will help legitimise, not only ourselves, but the industry as well.”

In August, the ATO released its highly anticipated guidance on crypto-currencies, stating bitcoin, which first emerged online around five years ago, and other digital currency payments will be treated as barter transactions with similar taxation consequences, unless it is used for business purposes.

According to the ATO, where an individual uses bitcoin to purchase goods or services for personal use or consumption, any capital gain or loss from disposal of the bitcoin will be disregarded as a personal use asset, provided the cost of the bitcoin is $10,000 or less.

Individuals who use bitcoin as an investment will pay capital gains tax when they offload it, as they would with shares.