Revenue treats cryptocurrency as a capital asset — similar to shares or property. This means you pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when you dispose of crypto at a profit.
Ireland does not have a specific crypto tax law. Instead, Revenue applies the existing CGT framework under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. Their guidance, published in 2018 and updated since, makes clear that crypto-to-crypto trades, sales for fiat, and other disposals are all taxable events.
The key principle is simple: if you make a profit on crypto, you owe tax on it. The rate is 33% on gains above your annual exemption.
Ireland's CGT rate on cryptocurrency is a flat 33% on taxable gains. This applies regardless of your income — unlike income tax, CGT in Ireland is not banded.
Every individual gets an annual CGT exemption of €1,270. This means the first €1,270 of net gains each tax year is tax-free. If your total net gains for the year are below €1,270, you owe nothing — but you should still keep records.
If you sell crypto at a loss, that loss can be used to reduce your total gains for the year. Losses must be offset against gains in the same tax year first. Any remaining losses can be carried forward to future years — but they cannot be used to create a refund.
A disposal is any event where you give up ownership of a crypto asset. Revenue's position is broad — the following all count as taxable disposals:
This is where most Irish crypto traders get caught out. Unlike income tax, CGT in Ireland has two separate payment deadlines per year:
| Period | Gains made | Payment deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Initial period | 1 January – 30 November | 15 December of the same year |
| Later period | 1 December – 31 December | 31 January of the following year |
| Tax return | Full year | 31 October of the following year |
The calculation follows this formula:
When you've bought the same cryptocurrency at different times and prices, Revenue requires you to use the FIFO (first in, first out) method. This means your oldest coins are treated as being sold first.
Use our free Irish CGT calculator — it handles the 33% rate, €1,270 exemption, and both Revenue deadlines automatically.
Use the Free CGT Calculator →Revenue's treatment of crypto income is more complex than simple buy-and-sell transactions. Here's how the main income types are treated:
| Activity | Tax on receipt | Tax on disposal |
|---|---|---|
| Staking rewards | Income tax at marginal rate | CGT on any additional gain |
| Mining income | Income tax (may be treated as trade) | CGT on disposal |
| Airdrops | Income tax if received for a service; otherwise CGT applies on disposal only | CGT on gain above acquisition value |
| DeFi yield / lending | Income tax at marginal rate | CGT on disposal |
| Hard fork tokens | Generally nil on receipt | CGT on full disposal proceeds |
How you file your crypto CGT depends on whether you're already in the self-assessment system:
Crypto gains are declared in the Capital Gains section of Form 11 on Revenue Online Service (ROS). You report your disposals, costs, and resulting gain or loss. The Form 11 deadline is 31 October.
You file a CG1 form — the standalone CGT return. This is available on Revenue's myAccount portal. The deadline is also 31 October, but remember: the tax payment is due by 15 December of the same year the gains were made.
From 1 January 2026, a significant change came into effect for Irish crypto traders: the EU's DAC8 directive and the OECD's Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) both apply.
In practical terms, this means that every regulated crypto exchange you use must now automatically report your transactions to Revenue. This includes Kraken, Coinbase, Binance, eToro, and Revolut — as well as exchanges in other EU countries.
The key implications for Irish traders:
No. Unrealised gains — increases in value while you still hold the asset — are not taxed. CGT only applies when you make a disposal.
No. Transferring crypto between wallets you own is not a disposal and does not trigger CGT. You do need to be able to prove both wallets belong to you if Revenue asks.
You don't owe any tax, but it's worth filing to register the loss. Losses can be carried forward to offset future gains, which could reduce your tax bill in later years.
There is no reporting threshold as such. However, if your total gains are below the €1,270 annual exemption, no tax is due. You should still keep records in case Revenue queries your activity.
Yes — tools like Koinly, CoinTracker, and TokenTax all support Irish CGT rules. They can import your exchange history and generate a Revenue-compatible report. However, always review the output before filing, as edge cases (like DeFi) may require manual adjustments.
Revenue charges interest of 0.0219% per day on late payments — that works out at roughly 8% per year. They may also apply surcharges. If you've missed a deadline, pay as soon as possible to minimise the interest accruing.
Use our free Irish CGT calculator — enter your buy price, sell price, and fees, and it calculates your exact liability including the €1,270 exemption.
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