Crypto in box 3: the future

Crypto and taxes: it is a combination that raises many questions. Anyone who owns cryptocurrencies is obliged in the Netherlands to declare this to the Tax Authority. In most cases, crypto falls under box 3, the category for savings and investments. But the rules around box 3 are set to change drastically in the coming years. In 2026 we are in a transitional phase in which the tax office keeps an increasingly close eye on digital assets.

In this article we explain what box 3 entails, how to declare your crypto correctly, how to calculate the tax and which major reforms are planned for the near future. This way you are well prepared for the changing legislation.

In short

• In the Netherlands, crypto falls by default under box 3 (savings and investments).

• The reference date is always 1 January at 00:00 of the relevant tax year.

• You declare the total market value of all your digital holdings on that day.

• With very active trading, professional use of algorithms or mining, box 1 may apply.

• Box 3 is being reformed into a system based on actual return, planned for 2027.

• Coinmerce offers a handy overview of your transaction history and balances for a flawless declaration.

What is box 3 and why does crypto fall under it?

The Dutch tax system divides income into three categories, also called 'boxes'. Box 1 is for income from work and home. Box 2 is for substantial interest in companies. Box 3 is for savings and investments: the wealth you own but from which you do not receive a regular salary.

Box 3 explained: tax on wealth

In box 3 you pay tax on your wealth. For a long time, the Tax Authority worked with a notional return: the government assumed that you made a certain profit, regardless of your actual result. After the historic 'Christmas ruling' of the Supreme Court in 2021, this system was declared unlawful. Since then we are in the Box 3 Bridging Act, whereby the tax office tries to get closer to the actual distribution of your wealth by distinguishing between bank balances and 'other assets'.

Why does crypto fall by default in box 3?

Cryptocurrencies are not seen by the Tax Authority as legal tender, but as asset components. Because they represent a market value and function as an investment object, they fall under the 'other assets' category in box 3. This means that the government assumes you achieve a higher return with crypto than with savings, which results in a higher effective tax rate within the current bridging scheme.

How do you declare crypto in box 3?

Correctly declaring your crypto starts with accurate records of the reference date and the total market value.

The reference date: what exactly is that?

The Tax Authority looks solely at the value of your wealth on 1 January at 00:00 of the tax year. We call this the reference date. If prices collapse or explode on 2 January, this has no influence on the declaration of that specific year. For your declaration in 2026 you therefore declare the value your crypto had at the beginning of 2025.

How do you determine the value of your crypto on 1 January?

You use the market price of the relevant cryptocurrency in euros on the reference date. At Coinmerce you can easily download your portfolio overview and transaction history. This shows exactly which balance you held on the reference date, which makes calculating the total value a lot easier. Do you have crypto in different places? Then you must add up the values of all your wallets (exchange, hot wallet and cold wallet).

Which crypto must you declare?

You must declare all digital assets that represent a market value. This includes:

• Well-known coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

• Stablecoins (such as USDC or EURC).

• Memecoins and small altcoins.

• NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens).

• Tokens obtained via staking or airdrops.

Calculating box 3 crypto tax: this is how you do it

In 2026, tax in box 3 is calculated according to the bridging method. This looks at your wealth above the tax-free portion.

Tax-free allowance in box 3

In 2025 and 2026, the tax-free allowance is around €57,000 per person. For fiscal partners this is double: approximately €114,000. Do you own less than this amount in total (including savings and other investments)? Then you pay no tax in box 3. If you exceed it, you pay tax on the portion above the threshold.

The notional return for crypto

Within the current rules, crypto falls under 'other assets'. For this category, the Tax Authority calculates with a notional return of approximately 6%. You then pay 36% tax on this assumed return.

When does crypto fall in box 1 instead of box 3?

In exceptional cases, the Tax Authority may rule that your crypto activities go beyond 'normal asset management'. In that case, your income is taxed in box 1 (income from work and home), where the rates can rise to 49.5%.

Active trading and taxable income

When is there a case of box 1? The line is grey, but the tax office looks at:

• Professionalism: Do you use specialist knowledge or advanced trading algorithms that an ordinary investor does not have?

• Labour: Has trading become your daily task and do you perform a lot of extra work to predict price gains?

• Insider knowledge: Do you have access to information that the market does not have?

Crypto mining and box 1

If you mine on a small scale as a hobby, this usually falls in box 3. However, as soon as the mining activities take on a business character — for example through a large investment in hardware and a profit motive that goes beyond chance — the proceeds (minus the costs) can fall in box 1.

Changes in box 3: what is going to happen?

The biggest change is planned for 2027. The government is working on a system based on actual return.

Tax on actual profit (capital gains tax)

In the new system you no longer pay on a notional percentage, but on the actual increase in value of your crypto. If your Bitcoin becomes €10,000 more valuable in a year, you pay tax on that increase, even if you have not yet sold the coins. In addition, staking proceeds are also taxed directly as income.

The arrival of DAC8

From 2026, the European DAC8 directive comes into full effect. This means that crypto exchanges such as Coinmerce are obliged to share data about the wealth and transactions of their users with the Tax Authority. 'Forgetting' crypto in the declaration thereby becomes virtually impossible, because the tax office has the same data as the exchange.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the value of my crypto for box 3?

You 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. Add up the values of all your wallets for the total amount.

What if my actual return is lower than the notional return?

Due to recent rulings of the Supreme Court, you may request the Tax Authority to be taxed based on your actual return if this is lower than the notional return of approximately 6%. This can save you a considerable amount of tax in a bad crypto year. For this, watertight records of your transactions are essential.

Getting started with crypto at Coinmerce?

Do you want to invest in the future and are you looking for a platform that helps you keep an overview? At Coinmerce you easily buy and sell hundreds of different cryptocurrencies. We provide a clear interface and a complete transaction history, so that you can file your tax return in spring without worries. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced trader, at Coinmerce you trade safely, quickly and according to current regulations. Create an account today and build your crypto portfolio in a responsible way.