Crypto and tax in 2026

Crypto and tax: it is a combination that is relevant for more and more people in the Netherlands. Whether you hold Bitcoin as a long-term investment, trade regularly or receive crypto as a staking reward — the Dutch Tax Authority expects you to declare your digital wealth. Yet many people fail to do so, sometimes deliberately and sometimes out of ignorance. The idea that crypto is completely anonymous and invisible to the tax office is, however, a dangerous misconception that no longer holds up in the current digital age.

From 2026, the situation changes dramatically. The European DAC8 directive obliges crypto exchanges to share customer data with the tax authorities. What could previously stay under the radar is now much more visible through automatic data exchange throughout the entire European Union. In this article we explain how crypto tax works, which rules apply for the 2026 tax year, how to file correctly and what the arrival of DAC8 specifically means for your privacy and responsibility.

In short

• For most private investors, crypto falls in box 3 of income tax.

• You declare the total market value your crypto had on 1 January at 00:00 of the tax year.

• The notional return for the 'other assets' category (including crypto) is set at 6.00 percent in 2026.

• You pay 36 percent tax on that calculated notional return.

• The tax-free allowance in 2026 is set at 59,357 euros per person (double for fiscal partners).

• From 2026, your exchange is obliged to share transaction data with the tax authorities via the DAC8 directive.

• Failing to declare crypto or declaring it incorrectly can lead to substantial penalties of up to 300 percent.

• At Coinmerce you always have access to your full transaction history, which is essential for a correct declaration.

Crypto and tax, how does it work?

In the Netherlands, wealth is taxed via the box system. For the vast majority of people, crypto falls in box 3: the part of income tax relating to savings and investments. An important point to understand is that in box 3 you currently do not pay on the actual profit made (the difference between purchase and sale), but on a notional return determined by the government. This return is calculated on the value of your total wealth on the reference date of 1 January.

The Tax Authority regards cryptocurrencies as asset components, comparable to investments in shares, art or bonds. Legally, it does not matter on which platform you hold your crypto. Whether it concerns a supervised Dutch exchange, a large foreign platform or your own hardware wallet in a safe: everything you own on the reference date counts towards your total taxable wealth.

Which rules apply to cryptocurrencies?

The basic rule is simple but strict: if you own crypto on 1 January of a tax year, you must declare it in your income tax return as part of your box 3 wealth. This applies to the full spectrum of digital assets. Think of:

• Major coins such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

• Stablecoins such as USDC or EURC (even though they do not fluctuate in price).

• Memecoins and small altcoins.

• Tokens you received via airdrops or as a staking reward.

• NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), provided they represent a market value.

The law makes no exception for the type of coin or for very small amounts. However, thanks to the tax-free allowance, many small investors do not have to pay anything in practice. Only when your total box 3 wealth — that is, your savings, shares, second home and crypto added together — exceeds the threshold of 59,357 euros is it effectively taxed.

How should you declare crypto to the Tax Authority?

Declaring crypto in your tax return has been made much clearer by the Tax Authority in recent years. Whereas it was previously often tucked away under the general heading 'other assets', there is now more specific guidance in the declaration program.

Crypto in box 3: what exactly applies?

Within the digital declaration environment, crypto falls under the 'other assets' category. You are obliged to enter the total market value of all your cryptocurrencies. You determine this value based on the price on the reference date: 1 January at exactly midnight. Fortunately, for box 3 you do not have to enter thousands of individual transactions from the whole year. You simply add up the value of all your holdings across all platforms and wallets and enter this total amount in euros.

Crypto in box 1

In a limited number of more exceptional cases, the Tax Authority may rule that your crypto holdings belong not in box 3 but in box 1. Box 1 is intended for taxable income from work and home. The major disadvantage of this for the investor is that the rates in box 1 are considerably higher; they can rise to 49.5 percent.

When does crypto count as income in box 1?

The tax office looks at the 'labour' you perform to make a profit. If your activities go beyond what is called 'normal asset management', it can be seen as profit from a business or result from other activities. Think of situations where you trade full-time, use insider knowledge, program specialist bots or mine crypto on a large scale with professional equipment. For the average investor who buys and sells coins via an exchange such as Coinmerce, box 3 remains the standard. In case of doubt, however, it is advisable to consult a tax specialist to avoid an additional assessment in box 1.

How do you calculate the value on the reference date?

To determine the correct value, take the market price of each individual cryptocurrency on 1 January at 00:00. You multiply the number of tokens you owned at that moment by the price in euros. If you have crypto in different places (for example, part on Coinmerce and part in a Ledger wallet), you must add these amounts together. At Coinmerce you have the advantage of being able to easily download an annual overview clearly showing your balances on the reference date.

How much tax do I pay on my wealth?

The calculation in box 3 works via a system of notional return. The government assumes that you achieve a certain return on your investments, regardless of whether you actually made a profit or loss that year.

For 2026, the notional return for crypto (other assets category) is set at 6.00 percent. You then pay 36 percent tax on this calculated return. This sounds complex, but a calculation example makes it clear quickly:

Suppose you are single and on 1 January 2026 you have a total wealth of 100,000 euros, of which 50,000 euros in crypto and 50,000 euros in savings.

• You first deduct the tax-free allowance: €100,000 - €59,357 = €40,643 taxable wealth.

• The Tax Authority calculates the notional return on this portion (based on the split between savings and investments). The crypto portion of 50,000 euros is calculated at 6.00%.

• You pay 36% tax on the resulting amount.

If you suffered a substantial loss in a year, then following recent case law (the Christmas ruling and subsequent judgments) there is often the option to demonstrate that your actual return was lower than the notional return. In that case you only have to pay tax on your actual profit. Therefore keep your transaction history at Coinmerce extra carefully as evidence.

What happens if you do not declare your crypto?

Deliberately not declaring crypto is a form of tax evasion and is heavily sanctioned by the government. Because blockchain transactions are transparent and exchanges share more and more data, the chance of getting caught grows every day. In an audit, the Tax Authority can go back up to five years (and sometimes even longer for foreign wealth) to levy tax retroactively.

The fines can rise extremely high. In case of intent, a penalty can be imposed that can amount to 300 percent of the tax you should actually have paid. In addition, you also pay collection interest. Have you made mistakes in the past? Then you can use the voluntary disclosure scheme. By reporting yourself voluntarily before the Tax Authority asks questions, you can significantly limit or even avoid the fines.

New EU regulation: DAC8, mandatory exchange and penalties

The introduction of the DAC8 directive marks the end of the era in which crypto was 'invisible' to the tax office. DAC8 is a European directive that ensures crypto assets fall under the same reporting standards as bank balances.

What changes from 2026?

From 1 January 2026, all Centralized Exchanges (CEX) and crypto service providers active in the EU are obliged to collect extensive information about their customers and report it to the local tax authorities. In the Netherlands this means that Coinmerce and other providers forward your data directly to the Tax Authority. This concerns your identity details (BSN), but also the total value of your holdings and your transaction volume.

Administrative burden and supervision

The first major data exchange under DAC8 for the 2026 calendar year will take place in early 2027. This makes it child's play for the Tax Authority to check a 'pre-filled declaration' or to detect discrepancies. If millions of euros in transactions are registered in your name at an exchange, but you declare zero euros in box 3, this will automatically trigger a red flag in the tax investigation systems.

What if you do not declare crypto?

The transparency is not limited to the Netherlands. Thanks to the European nature of DAC8, an exchange in Germany or Austria, for example, shares your data just as easily with the Dutch tax office. 'Parking' crypto on foreign European exchanges therefore no longer offers any protection against taxation. The Tax Authority gets an almost complete overview of the crypto landscape within the EU.

More control over crypto wealth: consequences of the DAC8 directive

The DAC8 directive is part of a larger package of measures (such as MiCAR and the Travel Rule) to regulate the crypto sector. The goal is not only taxation, but also combating money laundering. For the honest investor, this also offers advantages: the market becomes safer, rogue platforms are kept out and the chance that you unintentionally become involved in illegal money flows becomes smaller. For exchanges that do not cooperate with this transparency, multi-million euro fines loom, which ensures that legal platforms such as Coinmerce will report extremely accurately.

Common mistakes with crypto in the tax return

In practice, we see that investors often stumble over the following points:

• Multiple locations: People only declare the crypto held on one known exchange, but forget the coins in their own wallets or on 'forgotten' accounts. Everything counts.

• Wrong reference date: People look at the price on the day of the declaration (for example in March), while the price of 1 January at 00:00 is legally required.

• Staking and airdrops: People think these 'freely' obtained coins do not count. However, as soon as they have a market value, they are part of your taxable wealth.

• No records: People do not keep screenshots or exports of prices and balances, so that in an audit they have no evidence for the declared value.

Would you like more information about crypto and tax?

The world of taxes is always changing, especially in an innovative sector like crypto. It is important to stay informed of the latest rulings of the Supreme Court and changes in the box 3 system. Coinmerce supports its customers by offering a clear transaction history that can serve as a basis for your declaration. Do you have a very large or complex crypto portfolio? Then do not hesitate to engage a specialised tax advisor.

Frequently asked questions about crypto and tax

Do I have to pay tax on my crypto?

Yes, as soon as your total box 3 wealth exceeds the threshold of 59,357 euros, you pay tax on the notional return of your crypto. In 2026 you pay 36% tax on an assumed return of 6.00%.

In which box should I declare my crypto?

In 95% of cases you declare crypto in box 3 under 'other assets'. Only in the case of professional trading activities or large-scale mining can box 1 apply.

How do I determine the value of my crypto for the tax return?

Take the number of tokens you own on 1 January at 00:00 and multiply this by the price in euros at that exact moment. You can find these historical prices via Coinmerce or sites such as CoinMarketCap.

What changes in 2026 for crypto?

The most important change is the start of the DAC8 reporting obligation, whereby exchanges automatically share your data with the Tax Authority. This makes the control over crypto holdings almost watertight.

At Coinmerce, security and transparency come first. We ensure that you always have the necessary data at hand to meet your tax obligations. This way you can continue to invest in the future of digital money with peace of mind.