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DAC8 is the EU directive that makes crypto providers report their users’ transactions to tax authorities. It has applied since 1 January 2026: from that date, exchanges and other crypto-asset service providers collect tax identification data and transaction details for EU-resident customers. They report the first year, 2026, during 2027, and tax authorities exchange the data between EU countries by 30 September 2027.
For you as a user, DAC8 does not create a new tax. It changes who knows what. Your tax authority will increasingly see the same figures you are supposed to declare, so the gap between “what I filed” and “what my exchange reported” becomes visible. This guide explains how the system works and what to do about it.
General information, not tax advice. Tax rules and DAC8 implementation differ per country.
What is DAC8?
DAC8 is the eighth amendment to the EU Directive on Administrative Cooperation in the field of taxation (Council Directive (EU) 2023/2226). The earlier versions already made banks report account information across borders. DAC8 extends that automatic exchange of information to crypto-assets.
It sits alongside the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which does the same at a global level with countries outside the EU. In practice, DAC8 and CARF use the same reporting logic, so providers can follow one set of rules.
DAC8 builds on the definitions in MiCA, the EU’s crypto rulebook. Where MiCA decides who may offer crypto services, DAC8 decides what those providers must tell the tax authorities.
Who has to report?
The directive applies to Reporting Crypto-Asset Service Providers (RCASPs). In plain terms:
- Exchanges, brokers and apps that let you buy, sell or swap crypto-assets for you;
- Providers with a MiCA licence, but also crypto-asset operators that are not licensed under MiCA yet serve EU residents. Those must register in one EU country for DAC8 purposes.
Self-custody wallets, such as a hardware wallet, do not report anything. The software on your desk has no idea who you are. What gets reported is what passes through a provider, including transfers from that provider to your own wallet.
What data is collected?
About you
When you open an account, or when an existing provider updates its records, you will be asked for a self-certification. For individuals this includes your name, address, date of birth, every country where you are tax resident, and your tax identification number (TIN) for each of those countries. If an exchange suddenly asks for your TIN, this is usually why.
About your transactions
For each type of crypto-asset, the provider reports aggregated figures for the year, for example:
- Acquisitions and disposals against euros or other fiat currencies (gross amounts paid or received);
- Exchanges of one crypto-asset for another;
- Transfers, including transfers out to wallet addresses that are not known to belong to another provider, with their value and number;
- Certain retail payment transactions above a threshold.
The Dutch tax authority, for instance, summarises the reportable data as identifying information (name, address, tax residence, TIN), exchange transactions (asset, type, units, gross amount, market value) and transfers (asset, type, value and number of transfers).
Note what is not in there: your cost basis. The authority sees what you sold for, not what you paid. Calculating gains is still your job.
The key dates
- 1 January 2026: DAC8 applies. Providers start collecting data on EU-resident users.
- During 2027: providers report 2026 data to the tax authority of their own country. National deadlines differ: the Netherlands has set 31 January 2027 as the first deadline, Ireland 31 May 2027.
- By 30 September 2027: EU tax authorities exchange the 2026 data with the country where each user is tax resident.
- Every year after that: the same cycle, one year behind.
Providers also have to tell you which of your data they reported. In the Netherlands that notice must reach you by 31 January after the calendar year.
What DAC8 means for you in practice
Your tax authority will know more
If you hold crypto on an EU exchange, assume that your tax authority will see your account activity for 2026 and later. That makes accurate filing more important than ever, also for amounts you might have thought were too small to notice.
Different countries, different consequences
DAC8 is about reporting, not about how crypto is taxed. The effect depends on your local rules:
- In the Netherlands, most private holders are taxed on the value of their crypto on 1 January in Box 3, not on individual sales. The reported data helps the Belastingdienst check that you declared your holdings; see our guide to Dutch crypto tax in Box 3.
- In Germany, gains from selling crypto held for one year or less are taxable, so disposals reported under DAC8 can be matched with what you declared.
- In countries with a capital gains tax, such as France, the reported disposal amounts matter directly.
Past years can come into view
DAC8 starts with 2026 data. It does not report earlier years. But tax authorities can ask questions when the reported figures do not match your history, for example a large holding that never appeared in an earlier return. If you have something to correct, most countries treat a voluntary correction more favourably than one found by the authority. Speak to a tax adviser if this applies to you.
Keep your own records
Because providers report aggregated figures and no cost basis, your own records are what make the numbers make sense. Keep:
- Annual statements and 1 January balances from every exchange;
- Records of transfers between your own wallets and exchanges;
- Records of staking rewards, airdrops and other income.
Where crypto tax software helps
If you use one exchange and simply hold, an annual statement may be all you need. Once you have several platforms, self-custody wallets or staking income, crypto tax software can combine everything and produce a country-specific report. Two tools we use as our picks are compared in detail here.
Divly
EU-based crypto tax software with localised reports for a dozen European countries. Free to import and check; you pay per tax year only when you download a report.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate Disclosure.
Koinly
International crypto tax software with wide exchange and wallet support. Free to import and preview; reports are paid per tax year.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate Disclosure.
Watch out for DAC8 scams
New rules attract phishing. Expect emails and messages along the lines of “Your account must be DAC8-verified within 48 hours”. Real providers ask for your TIN through their own app or website, never through a link in an unexpected email, and never ask for your wallet’s recovery phrase or password. When in doubt, log in through the address you normally use and look there.
Frequently asked questions
Does DAC8 apply to non-EU exchanges?
Providers that are not authorised under MiCA but serve EU residents must register in one EU country and report as well. Outside the EU, CARF covers the countries that have signed up to it.
Is DAC8 a new tax?
No. It is a reporting obligation for providers. What you owe is still determined by your national tax law.
Do I have to give my exchange my tax number?
Under DAC8, providers must collect it. If you do not provide a valid self-certification, the provider has to take measures, which can include restricting your account.
Sources: European Commission, DAC8 page (Taxation and Customs Union); Council Directive (EU) 2023/2226; Belastingdienst, information on DAC8/CARF; Irish Revenue, CARF/DAC8 guidance (all checked October 2026). Information as of October 2026. Not tax advice.