Cryptocurrency Tax 2026: Tax Rules and How to File

The taxation of cryptocurrencies remains a complex topic for many investors, especially as rules regularly evolve with the finance laws. In 2026, holders of crypto-assets must declare gains realized from their crypto investments in 2025, whether from occasional sales, staking, mining, lending, or holding crypto accounts abroad.

Between the flat tax, the progressive income tax scale, the €305 allowance, capital gains declaration via form 2086, and declaration obligations related to foreign platforms, the process may seem difficult to grasp.

This guide details in a structured manner the taxation applicable to crypto- assets in 2026 and the steps to correctly declare your gains, in compliance with French tax obligations.

Executive Summary in 10 Points: What to Remember About Crypto Taxation in 2026

1. Cryptos are taxable only when converted to fiat currency or when paying for goods/services.
2. Crypto-to-crypto exchanges are not taxable.
3. Since the finance law, PFU rises to 31.4% (12.8% IR + 18.6% social contributions).
4. Taxpayers can choose between PFU and IR scale + social contributions.
5. Annual €305 allowance for disposals by non-professional investors.
6. Mining and staking activities fall, in principle, under the BNC regime.
7. The lending is taxed as debt income (PFU 31.4%) and then as capital gains on disposal.
8. NFTs can fall under three tax regimes depending on their nature, but the crypto-asset assumption is the most common.
9. Capital gains declarations go through the Form 2086, and for foreign accounts, through the Form 3916-Bis.
10. Crypto losses are not carry-forwardable from one year to another.

Taxable or Not Crypto: Which Operations Trigger Tax in 2026?

The taxation of virtual currencies evolves regularly as crypto asset investment becomes more mainstream.

However, gains realized in crypto have been taxable since 2014 and remain so. It is mandatory to declare annually to the tax authorities the taxable crypto operations and to compile the list of gains and losses. Note, however, that only cryptocurrency/fiat currency transactions are taxable. Cryptocurrency-to-cryptocurrency transactions are not taxed. You will also be taxed if you purchase a good or a service with cryptocurrencies.

The taxation of gains realized in crypto depends on the investor’s status. Taxation differs depending on whether one is a non-professional investor or a professional investor.

Frequently asked question: Are cryptocurrencies taxable in 2026?

Yes. In 2026, gains from disposal of digital assets against fiat currency (euro, dollar, etc.) are taxable. Crypto-to-crypto trades remain untaxed. Purchases of goods or services with crypto also constitute taxable operations.

Crypto Taxation 2026 for Individual Investors: PFU or IR Bracket?

Before January 1, 2019, virtual currencies were taxed like movable property, which required declaring each disposal, with the capital gain taxed at 36.2%. Since that date, crypto currencies are taxable under the category of “digital assets,” a new classification created to give crypto assets a regulatory framework.

Since the 2019 Finance Law, the tax treatment of disposals of digital assets is regulated. The French have the obligation since that year to calculate and declare their taxable gains from crypto assets at the same time as their income tax return. As a result, the taxpayer is taxed on the capital gains generated by their occasional activity of buying and selling digital assets.

The new regime provided by Article 150 VH bis CGI subjects the overall capital gain on digital assets to the flat tax. The taxation of this new asset type is therefore similar to capital gains.

Note that, since the 2026 finance law, gains on cryptocurrencies are more heavily taxed. The flat tax stands at 31.4% (12.8% income tax + 18.6% social contributions) versus 30% previously. It remains possible for investors to choose between PFU (flat tax) at 31.4% or applying the progressive income tax scale on the gains generated by their cryptocurrency activities plus 18.6% social contributions. Thus, investors who pay no tax will be taxed at 18.6% only (the amount of social contributions), and those in the 11% tax bracket will be taxed at 29.6% only (11% income tax + 18.6% social contributions). Also note that the CSG paid (10.6%) will be deductible from taxable income up to 6.8%, whereas the portion included in the PFU is not deductible.

Comparative Table: PFU vs IR Bracket for Crypto Taxation (2026)

Note: in the event of an overall loss, that loss is neither deductible from other income nor carry-forwardable to the following year.

Good to know: there is a 305-euro annual disposal allowance for non-professional investors. Thus, if total disposals do not exceed 305 euros, it is not even necessary to declare the amount of the capital gain.

Frequently asked question: What is the tax rate on crypto capital gains in 2026?

Gains are subject either to PFU (31.4%) or to the progressive IR rate plus 18.6% social contributions, depending on the chosen option. The 305€ allowance remains applicable for annual small disposals.

Professional Crypto Investor or Private Crypto Investor: Which Regime Applies?

It was previously particularly difficult to know whether the tax administration considered you a professional investor or not.

The situation is much clearer since January 1, 2023, when the rules changed and clarified. Those now considered non-professional sellers are investors selling crypto currencies as part of managing their private wealth, regardless of whether they make occasional or regular sales or handle a large volume of transactions.

If you are asking yourself the question, there is a good chance you are considered a private investor rather than a professional investor. Indeed, according to the administration, the professional qualification should remain the exception, and the frequent use of a computer tool to execute trades, as well as income from trading activity exceeding professional income, are not by themselves sufficient to reclassify a taxpayer as professional.

What Taxation for Crypto Mining Activity?

If you practice crypto mining, the gains from this activity are also taxable. Mining falls under the Non-Commercial Profits regime (BNC). When disposing of the cryptocurrencies, of course the taxation on capital gains on digital assets will apply.

What Taxation for Crypto Staking?

Let’s recall that staking involves locking up crypto currencies within the framework of the functioning of a proof-of-stake blockchain. Locking up the tokens obviously yields remuneration.

As with mining, staking income should therefore fall under non-commercial profits for the year of receipt and capital gains on digital assets for the year of disposal. Some argue that rewards are acquired free of charge and are simply added to wallets, which means they are only taxed at 31.4% upon a discretionary sale. But this point is debated and the legislator would do well to clarify the taxation of staking gains.

In 2026, the question of the taxation applying to staking remains unresolved.

What Taxation for Crypto Lending?

Lending, as the name suggests, refers to lending digital assets to a platform or protocol to provide liquidity in exchange for interest.

Logically, these gains fall under the taxation of debt income for the year of receipt (PFU at 31.4%) and under the regime of capital gains on digital assets for the year of disposal. However, some argue they should be considered as gratuitous acquisitions for applying the capital gains regime upon disposal. Again, the question remains unresolved.

What Taxation for NFTs?

Regarding NFTs, the tax treatment is not very clear. Indeed, they can be considered:

• as a digital asset (PFU at 31.4% or IR + PS if you are a non-professional investor);
• as a work of art (6.5% of the disposal amount or 36.2% of the capital gain amount);
• or as movable property (capital gain taxed at 36.2% with a 5% annual allowance after 2 years of holding and disposals of up to €5,000 exempt).

When in doubt, classifying as a digital asset is probably the one to keep. However, for significant gains, it is better to consult a tax lawyer who can perform a personalized analysis of your situation.

MiCA Regulation: A Clarification of Crypto Taxation?

As we can see, the question of crypto taxation is complex. It is sometimes very difficult to determine which taxation applies to gains, once you move beyond the standard capital gains taxation.

If the MiCA regulation applicable from December 30, 2024 provides a regulatory framework to protect users and imposes transparency or security requirements on crypto exchange platforms, it does not address taxation at all. One might have expected the legislator to harmonize crypto taxation at the European level, but that is not the case.

How to Calculate Your Gains in Virtual Currency to Report to the Tax Authorities?

All digital portfolios are covered by the tax regime and are included in a global portfolio. Therefore, to calculate the overall portfolio value, you should consider all cryptocurrencies owned and traded during the year (Bitcoin, Ripple, Ether, Solana, Dogecoin, etc.) across the different accounts held on all the platforms used (Coinbase, Bitpanda, Binance, Litebit, Kraken, etc.). For each taxable operation, it is recommended to estimate the value of the capital gain (or loss) using websites that provide daily historical pricing for the various cryptocurrencies.

You should then perform your gains (or losses) calculation by summing all capital gains and losses realized over the year from all “taxable operations,” which specialists like Waltio and ORWL Avocats describe as “a disposal of a digital asset with a consideration other than another digital asset,” noting that “exchanges between digital assets do not constitute taxable operations.”

Transactions are therefore taxable only when converted to fiat money (for example, euros, dollars, etc.), or when exchanged for a goods (other than a digital asset) or a service (i.e., payment) or when exchanged with a premium against another digital asset. For each taxable operation, the gain or loss corresponds to the sale price of the digital assets minus a fraction of the cash in proportional to the portion of the portfolio disposed. Take an example: you sell 20% of your portfolio. You must therefore deduct 20% of its cash-in (i.e., the actual amount spent to purchase digital assets) from the sale amount to determine the gain or loss.

Be careful, if gains and losses realized in the same year offset each other, note that in the case of an overall loss, this loss is neither deductible from other income nor carry-forwardable to the following year.

Be vigilant, these calculations require you to carefully track all cash-in, but also to be able to value your entire portfolio in euros for each taxable operation (to determine the portion of the operation within the portfolio).

Crypto Declaration 2026: Which Boxes to Fill and How to Complete Form 2086?

The annual amount of the taxable capital gain must be indicated in the dedicated box (“Capital gains on digital assets”) of the income tax return.

Additionally, you will be asked to complete an annex attached to the income tax return, providing the details of all taxable operations of the year. This is Form Cerfa 2086, titled “Declaration of capital gains and losses from disposals of digital assets,” which will include notably:

• the sale price of the digital assets;
• the total acquisition price of the portfolio;
• the overall value of the digital asset portfolio at the time of disposal;
• the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the taxable operation.

To facilitate the calculation of capital gains and the preparation of Form 2086, crypto investors can use specialized tools like Waltio, which centralizes operations from different platforms and automatically values the taxable capital gains according to French tax rules. Waltio thus allows you to group transaction histories, convert values to euros at the right moment, and generate reports compliant with the tax administration’s expectations. In practice, this tool can significantly reduce the time required to produce a reliable detail of all taxable operations. It does not replace a personalized analysis, but it helps structure the data before reporting to the Cerfa 2086 form. As always, it is recommended to verify the results produced by these tools before submission to the tax authorities.

Declaring an Overseas Crypto Account in 2026: Rules, Obligations, and Form 3916-Bis

The taxpayer must also declare accounts held on sites and platforms domiciled abroad such as Coinbase, Bitpanda, Kraken, Binance, etc. If the site where you hold virtual currency tokens is French (like Coinhouse, Paymium, etc.), there is no need to mention it.

The declaration must be made using Form 3916-Bis entitled “Declaration by a resident of a foreign digital asset account that is open, held, used or closed abroad.” This form is also accessible from your personal tax declaration space at step 3 “Annex declarations.”

Be careful: even empty foreign-held accounts must be declared. You must also declare accounts on which you hold crypto currencies for which conversion into traditional fiat currencies issued by States is not possible. By contrast, digital assets held on a Ledger or physical crypto wallet are not subject to this declarative obligation. You can indeed hold tokens on a physical wallet without declaring them. However, your Ledger’s transactions must, of course, be taken into account when calculating gains.

Note: Failing to declare foreign crypto accounts is punishable by a €750 fine per account.

When to Pay Crypto Taxes in 2026?

Each year you must attach Form Cerfa 2086 to your income tax return to settle taxes on your crypto gains.

Note: the opening of the income tax declaration begins on April 9, 2026. The filing deadline varies by department:

• Thursday, May 21 at the latest for departments 01 to 19 and non-residents;
• Thursday, May 28 at the latest (23:59) for departments 20 to 54;
• Thursday, June 4 at the latest (23:59) for departments 55 to 974 and 976.

The paper declaration must be filed no later than Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at midnight, including for French residents abroad.

How to Pay Taxes on Crypto Trading via Derivative Products?

Perhaps you have chosen to position yourself in the crypto market without holding assets, through derivatives? Trading cryptocurrencies via derivatives with brokers like eToro, XTB, or IG is indeed possible.

In this case, equity instrument taxation applies.

That means your gains are taxed at the Flat Tax (31.4%), but, just like direct crypto investing, you also have the option to apply the progressive income tax rate, to which you must add 18.6% social contributions if this is more advantageous for you, which is typically more financially attractive for individuals whose marginal tax rate is 0% or 11%. Finally, and this is a major advantage compared to the taxation of direct crypto investments, with crypto investments via derivatives, losses can be offset against gains of the same nature and can be carried forward for 10 years.

How Not to Pay Tax on Cryptocurrencies?

As noted above, there is a €305 annual disposal allowance for non-professional investors.

But there is also another way to delay and reduce taxation by taking advantage of the fact that arbitrages between virtual currencies are not taxed. It may therefore be prudent to convert the cryptocurrency you want to sell into a stablecoin indexed to fiat currency (euros, dollars, etc.) to avoid tax, especially if you plan to reinvest this latent gain into another cryptocurrency.

Frequently asked question: How to avoid or reduce crypto taxation in 2026?

You can keep arbitrage 100% crypto (no fiat); benefit from the 305€ annual allowance; optimize the choice between PFU and IR bracket depending on your tax bracket

Crypto Taxation: What You Must Remember

In 2026, crypto-asset taxation mainly rests on the distinction between taxable operations (conversion to fiat, payment, disposal with consideration) and non-taxable operations (crypto-to-crypto exchanges).

The individual investor can choose between PFU at 31.4% or the progressive income tax rate, with a 305€ allowance for small disposals.

Mining, staking, and lending activities fall under a specific tax treatment.

Gains must be declared via Form 2086, and foreign crypto accounts via Form 3916-Bis.

All our information is, by nature, generic. They do not take into account your personal situation and do not constitute any personalized investment recommendations with a view to executing transactions, nor can they be regarded as financial investment advice or any encouragement to buy or sell financial instruments. The reader is solely responsible for the use of the information provided, and Cafedelabourse.com cannot be held liable. Cafedelabourse.com’s editorial publisher cannot be held responsible for any error, omission, or ill-timed investment.