DAC8 and automatic crypto reporting: what changes in 2026
From 2026, crypto exchanges operating in the EU automatically report your trading activity to tax authorities. Here is what the law covers and what it means for everyday users.
DAC8 — the eighth revision of the EU's Directive on Administrative Cooperation — brings crypto into the same automatic-exchange-of-information regime that traditional bank accounts have been under for a decade (via CRS). It becomes operational January 1, 2026.
What exchanges will report
Any CASP (Crypto-Asset Service Provider) operating in the EU — exchanges, custodial wallets, brokers — will report to its home tax authority every year: your identifying information (name, address, tax ID), your account balances at year-end, and a summary of your trading activity (buys, sells, swaps, in-flows, out-flows). The home tax authority then forwards relevant records to the tax authority of your country of residence.
What this means for you
Your national tax office will have a direct feed of your crypto activity across every EU-licensed exchange. Non-filing is no longer a viable strategy — the data will arrive automatically. If your tax return disagrees with the DAC8 report, you can expect a letter asking for clarification.
Which exchanges are covered
Those licensed to operate in any EU member state. Centralised exchanges in the US (Coinbase, Kraken) when serving EU customers via EU subsidiaries. DeFi protocols without a legal entity in the EU are outside the regime for now — but this is likely to change in future DAC revisions.
Transition period
The reporting covers calendar year 2026 forward. There is no retroactive reporting for prior years. Pre-2026 trading records will not surface via DAC8 directly, though tax authorities can of course still request them during audits.
Practical steps now
If your 2024 and 2025 crypto activity was not reported on your tax returns, consider amending — penalties for self-corrections are typically much lower than for late discovery. Start 2026 with clean record-keeping (dedicated crypto tax software, consistent exchange account) so the DAC8 report matches your filing. Expect your tax authority to accept the report at face value unless your return claims deductions or exemptions.