From January 1, 2026, Europe will end fiscal anonymity for cryptocurrencies with the DAC8 directive. Platforms will be required to report investors' transactions to tax authorities, ushering in a new era of transparency for crypto-asset holders in the EU.
DAC8 is the 8th amendment to the Directive on Administrative Cooperation regarding taxation. Its purpose is to extend fiscal transparency rules, already applied to bank accounts and life insurance, to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency sector. The European Union estimates that tax losses related to crypto amount to billions of euros annually and aims to harmonize regulations across member states. This directive is part of a global regulatory movement led by the OECD through the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF).
At the heart of DAC8: Mandatory reporting for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs). This affects centralized platforms like Binance, Kraken, or Coinbase, as well as brokers, crypto ATMs, and certain DeFi platforms deemed centralized. These entities will need to collect precise data: Name, address, tax identification number, and all transactions (purchases, sales, exchanges, transfers, airdrops, staking, etc.).
This information will be automatically transmitted to the tax authorities in the country of residence. The first data exchange is scheduled for September 30, 2027, covering the 2026 tax year.
The directive is extremely broad and covers virtually all conceivable operations:
Simply put, tax authorities will receive information whenever a digital asset moves or generates income. Only transactions between self-hosted wallets (like Ledger or Trezor) might, to some extent, escape this automatic reporting. However, as soon as these funds pass through a platform, they’ll fall under DAC8’s scope. For individual investors, the consequences are significant.
To properly prepare for DAC8, it’s essential to organize your accounts by gathering a complete history of your crypto transactions before 2026. Using tax tracking tools such as Waltio, Koinly, or CoinLedger can greatly simplify calculating your capital gains. Also, familiarize yourself with the tax regulations specific to your country, potentially with the help of an accountant. Finally, plan your movements: Realizing certain capital gains before the directive takes effect could allow you to optimize your tax position.
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