A-Jie, a live-streaming e-commerce host in Hangzhou, received a text message from the tax authorities a couple of days ago, notifying him that there was a discrepancy between the income he reported and the income reported by the platform. He immediately panicked, thinking he would have to pay a large amount of back taxes.

In fact, this is the new normal following the implementation of the “Regulations on the Reporting of Tax-Related Information by Internet Platform Companies” in 2026. Platforms report sellers’ transaction data to the tax authorities, which then compare it with the data reported by the taxpayers themselves. If there are discrepancies, the taxpayers will receive a notification.

Receiving a reminder does not necessarily mean you have violated the law, but you must not ignore it. Today, we’ll walk you through the self-inspection process.

01

Why did I receive this notification?

On January 1, 2026, the *Value-Added Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China* officially took effect. The accompanying *Regulations on the Reporting of Tax-Related Information by Internet Platform Enterprises* also took effect at the same time, requiring platforms to report business operators’ transaction information to the tax authorities.

Once the tax authorities receive the platform data, they will routinely compare it with the income you have reported. If there is a significant discrepancy, they will send you a reminder via text message or other means.

There are three common causes.

First, they only reported the amount based on invoices and did not include income for which invoices had not been issued. Many sellers are in the habit of filing taxes only after issuing invoices, but the platform reports the total transaction amount.

Second, you may be operating on multiple platforms but haven’t consolidated your reporting. You might only sell products on Douyin, but your revenue is spread across multiple channels, such as the Shop window, live streams, and the Selected Alliance.

Third, refunds, commissions, and service fees were not deducted correctly. The platform reports gross transaction volume, but your actual income is the amount remaining after these fees are deducted.

02

Four Steps to Self-Check After Receiving a Reminder

Step 1: Log in to the backends of all platforms where you conduct business and export a complete breakdown of your revenue. This should include transaction records, service fees, commissions, bonuses, etc., covering both invoiced and uninvoiced amounts.

Step 2: Verify all payment accounts. This includes personal bank cards, business accounts, WeChat Pay, Alipay, and third-party payment tools. Confirm that the actual amount received matches the platform’s income details.

Step 3: Calculate your actual taxable income. The total amount reported by the platform, minus reasonable costs such as refunds, platform commissions, shipping fees, and advertising costs, is the income you should actually report.

Step 4: If you find that you have indeed underreported your taxes, correct the return in accordance with the law and pay the back taxes and late payment penalties. If, after a self-review, you believe your return is accurate, you should explain the situation to the competent tax authority and submit supporting documentation, such as platform transaction records and bank statements.

Keep this principle in mind: Receiving a notice does not necessarily mean you have to pay additional taxes, but you must cooperate fully and proactively conduct a self-audit.

03

New Rules Under the Value-Added Tax Law

Announcement No. 2 of 2026 clarifies two key rules.

First, if tax authorities determine that a taxpayer does not meet the criteria for small-scale taxpayer status, they may require the taxpayer to calculate and pay value-added tax in accordance with the regulations for general taxpayers.

Second, sales revenue adjusted as a result of self-assessment and corrections, risk control reviews, or audit-based adjustments must be recognized in the tax period corresponding to the time when the tax liability arose.

What does that mean?If you unlawfully maintain your status as a small-scale taxpayer by concealing income or splitting business entities, and this is verified, the tax authorities have the right to retroactively collect back taxes at a rate of 13.1% rather than applying the collection rates ranging from 11% to 31% that would apply at the time of discovery.

This issue is particularly sensitive for live streamers or online stores whose annual revenue has already exceeded 5 million. Continuing to file taxes as a small-scale taxpayer carries significant risks.

04

Long-Term Compliance Recommendations

By 2026, e-commerce tax regulation will have entered a phase of “routine data comparison.” To ensure long-term business operations, compliance must be a regular practice.

First, establish a comprehensive income ledger. Record the income from each platform, each account, and each month clearly.

Second, distinguish between the different types of income. Wages and salaries, compensation for services, business income, and incidental income are subject to completely different tax rates and filing methods.

Third, keep all supporting documents. Contracts, invoices, platform settlement statements, bank statements, and expense receipts should be retained for at least 5 years.

Fourth, conduct regular tax reviews. Check your tax return data every quarter or every six months and correct any issues promptly—this is far more cost-effective than having to take corrective action after receiving a notice from the tax authorities.

The era of sky-high profits in the e-commerce industry is over; operating in compliance with regulations is the only way to ensure long-term success.

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