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Taxing cryptoassets

Last updated: 03/10/2024

  • HMRC has published guidance on how cryptoassets should be taxed (based on substance rather than terminology).
  • HMRC considered responses to a call for evidence on the taxation of decentralised finance activities involving lending and staking and published a new consultation considering a law change to make taxation of individuals, and perhaps corporates, simpler and to better reflect what investors believe to be the economic reality of the transactions they’re entering into.
  • In October 2022 the OECD published details of a new cryptoasset reporting framework (CARF) which it developed working with G20 countries. The CARF is designed for the annual automatic exchange of tax information on transactions in cryptoassets based on jurisdictions of tax residence. Changes have also been made to the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) to bring new financial assets, products and intermediaries into scope. In October 2024 the OECD published XML Schemas and User Guides to support transmission of information between tax authorities. 
  • In November 2023 48 jurisdictions published a joint statement stating that they would introduce the CARF and activate information exchange agreements so that information exchanges can commence by 2027. 
  • The EU incorporated the CARF and CRS changes through DAC8 on 17 October 2023 to require the reporting of information by cryptoasset service providers and operators that provide services to EU residents, irrespective of size, location or regulatory status of the service provider/operator.
  • The previous government launched a consultation to seek views on how best to implement the CARF and amendments to the CRS.
  • At the Spring Budget 2023, the previous government announced that a change will be made to tax returns for individuals, trusts and estates to require amounts in respect of cryptoassets to be separately identified when the capital gains tax pages to the return are completed.
  • Timing: DAC8 should be transposed by the 27 member states by 31 December 2025 in order to apply the new reporting requirements relating to cryptoassets, e-money and digital currencies as from 1 January 2026. The UK consultation on the CARF closed on 29 May 2024 and the previous government wanted changes to be made in time to ensure that information exchanges take place from 2027. In the UK, the changes regarding tax returns will be introduced for the 2024/25 tax year. It is not clear whether the current government is considering the other outstanding issues.

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