{"id":2403,"date":"2025-12-23T11:09:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T10:09:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/cryptocurrency-taxation-2026-26-or-33-the-truth-about-the-new-budget-law\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T11:09:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T10:09:46","slug":"cryptocurrency-taxation-2026-26-or-33-the-truth-about-the-new-budget-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/cryptocurrency-taxation-2026-26-or-33-the-truth-about-the-new-budget-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Cryptocurrency Taxation 2026: 26% or 33%? The truth about the New Budget Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<strong>TL;DR:<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The 2026 Budget Law introduces a double tax rate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Facilitated rate confirmed at <strong>26%<\/strong> only for E-Money Tokens (Euro stablecoins).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For Bitcoin and other crypto-assets, the rate will probably rise to <strong>33%<\/strong> (or 30%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Goodbye to the 2,000 euro exemption threshold: taxation from the first cent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthened monitoring obligations with the adoption of the DAC8 directive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The news circulating on the taxation of cryptocurrencies in 2026 is often contradictory. There is talk of a &#8220;reduction&#8221;, but the regulatory reality that emerges from the drafts of the Budget Law is more complex and hides a pitfall for many investors. The legislator has decided to abandon the single approach, creating a fundamental distinction between types of digital assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding this bifurcation is essential: treating Bitcoin like a stablecoin in one&#8217;s tax return could be costly. The reform aims to reward European regulated instruments (MiCAR) while penalizing volatile and speculative assets.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_d282f7-04 .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_d282f7-04 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_d282f7-04\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lagrandenovitaliquotaal33perbitcoinealtcoin\">The great news: 33% rate for Bitcoin and Altcoins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most relevant, and perhaps least welcome, news is the increase in tax pressure on most of the market. While until 2025 all capital gains are taxed at 26%, from January 1, 2026, the basic rate for &#8220;other crypto-assets&#8221; (including Bitcoin, Ethereum and the vast majority of altcoins) is destined to rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Latest parliamentary discussions indicate a settlement of the rate at <strong>33%<\/strong>, a middle ground between the current regime and the much more punitive 42% initially hypothesized. This increase of 7 percentage points directly impacts the net return of long-term investments, making an assessment of one&#8217;s portfolio urgent before the end of the current fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_292dfd-6d .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_292dfd-6d .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_292dfd-6d\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chisisalvailregimeagevolatopergliemoneytoken\">Who is saved? The facilitated regime for E-Money Tokens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where does the misunderstanding of &#8220;reduction&#8221; come from? From the treatment reserved for so-called <strong>E-Money Tokens (EMT)<\/strong>, i.e., stablecoins anchored to an official currency (like the Euro) and issued in compliance with the European MiCAR regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For these specific assets, the legislator seems intent on <strong>maintaining (or reducing compared to the 42% threat) the rate at 26%<\/strong>. The goal is clear: to encourage the use of regulated and transparent digital payment instruments, while discouraging the use of non-compliant stablecoins or those denominated in other currencies without the proper authorizations.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_464b4d-26 .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_464b4d-26 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_464b4d-26\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"attentionallafranchigiadei2000euro\">Attention to the 2,000 euro threshold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A technical detail that risks going unnoticed is the possible elimination of the threshold. Until today, capital gains lower than a total of 2,000 euros per year were exempt. With the new setting, every capital gain, even a minimal one, would become tax-relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This scenario requires absolute accounting precision. It will no longer be possible to ignore small gains: every transaction must be tracked and calculated to the cent. For those operating with high volumes of micro-transactions, the support of experts like the <strong>Gruppo AQ<\/strong> team becomes no longer an optional but an operational necessity to avoid calculation errors.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_c99999-8f .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_c99999-8f .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_c99999-8f\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"monitoraggioedac8ilfiscovedetutto\">Monitoring and DAC8: the Tax Authorities see everything<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parallel to the rates, the perimeter of control changes. 2026 will mark the full operability of the European <strong>DAC8<\/strong> directive, which requires crypto service providers (exchanges) to automatically communicate users&#8217; transactions to national tax authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RW framework will no longer be a &#8220;self-declaration&#8221; based on good faith, but a document that the Revenue Agency can cross-reference in real time with the data received from the platforms. Failure to match what is declared and the actual flows will trigger automatic checks. <strong>Transparency<\/strong> becomes the only effective defensive strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_6bcf01-cf .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_6bcf01-cf .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_6bcf01-cf\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"convienevendereprimadel2026\">Is it worth selling before 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Faced with the increase in the rate to 33%, the question naturally arises: is it convenient to liquidate positions by December 31, 2025 to lock in taxation at 26%? The answer is not unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Selling means realizing the capital gain and paying taxes immediately, reducing the compound capital available for the future. Keeping the asset means postponing payment but accepting a higher future rate. Financial consultancy from <strong>Gruppo AQ<\/strong> can help you simulate the two scenarios, evaluating variables such as the investment&#8217;s time horizon and market growth expectations, to transform regulatory uncertainty into a conscious strategic choice.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_056fc9-6a .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_056fc9-6a .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_056fc9-6a\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"inbreve\">In short<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The 2026 Budget Law distinguishes between Euro stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>E-Money Tokens (MiCAR) taxed at 26%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bitcoin, Ethereum and other crypto taxed at 33% (or more).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Probable cancellation of the 2,000 euro exemption threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automatic exchange of information (DAC8) between exchanges and the Tax Authorities arrives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_aedaff-35 .kt-block-spacer{height:80px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-2269_aedaff-35 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-2269_aedaff-35\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"losapeviche\">Did you know that<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The term &#8220;Fiat&#8221;, used for traditional currencies, derives from Latin and means &#8220;it shall be done&#8221;, indicating money created by government decree.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is estimated that approximately <strong>20%<\/strong> of all existing Bitcoins have been lost forever due to lost private keys.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The first conceptual &#8220;Blockchain&#8221; was described in 1991, long before the birth of Bitcoin in 2008.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Italy is one of the European countries with the highest number of ATMs (automated teller machines) for cryptocurrencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cryptocurrencies &#8220;pegged&#8221; not only to currencies but also to gold or other physical assets exist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taxation of cryptocurrencies varies enormously in the world: from 0% in Portugal (under certain conditions) up to 55% in Japan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\">FAQ<\/h3>\n\n\n&lt;!&#8211; wp:wpseopress\/faq-block {&quot;faqs&quot;:[{&quot;question&quot;:&quot;<strong>If I have stablecoins in Dollars (e.g., USDC), will I pay 26% or 33%?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;According to current drafts, the facilitated rate of 26% only applies to E-Money Tokens linked to the Euro. Stablecoins in dollars could fall under the increased ordinary rate of 33%.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;},{&#8220;question&#8221;:&#8221;<strong>Can I still use the value redetermination (stepped-up basis)?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;It is likely that a window will be reopened to redetermine the value as of January 1, 2026, by paying a substitute tax. This could be the best escape route for those with large latent capital gains.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;},{&#8220;question&#8221;:&#8221;<strong>Does the DAC8 directive also concern private wallets (ledger)?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;DAC8 obliges intermediaries (exchanges, custodial wallets) to communicate data. Private (non-custodial) wallets do not have intermediaries, but the obligation for the taxpayer to declare them in the RW framework remains.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;},{&#8220;question&#8221;:&#8221;<strong>What happens if I don&#8217;t declare anything in 2026?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;With the arrival of automatic exchange of information, the risk of tax assessment becomes very high. Penalties for failing to declare investments abroad are severe and it is not worth the risk.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;},{&#8220;question&#8221;:&#8221;<strong>Are staking earnings taxed at 33%?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;Yes, proceeds from staking are considered income from capital or miscellaneous depending on interpretation, but they will almost certainly follow the rate of the underlying cryptocurrency (so 33% for most).&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;},{&#8220;question&#8221;:&#8221;<strong>Can Gruppo AQ manage my crypto tax return?<\/strong>&#8220;,&#8221;answer&#8221;:&#8221;Certainly. <strong>Gruppo AQ<\/strong> has tax specialists updated on the latest MiCAR and TUIR regulations to handle the calculation of capital gains, RW monitoring and eventual value redetermination.&#8221;,&#8221;image&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;}],&#8221;listStyle&#8221;:&#8221;ol&#8221;,&#8221;titleWrapper&#8221;:&#8221;div&#8221;} \/&#8211;&gt;\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fonti\">Sources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-small-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agendadigitale.eu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Agenda Digitale &#8211; Cryptocurrency taxation 2026<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tg24.sky.it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sky TG24 &#8211; Cryptocurrency news 2026<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fiscoetasse.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fisco e Tasse &#8211; Crypto-activity Budget Law<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/servizi\/tax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gruppo AQ &#8211; Tax Services<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2026 Budget Law: blow or opportunity? Discover the new double rate (26% vs 33%), the impact on E-Money Tokens and how to defend your crypto investments with the new rules.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2270,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"yes","_gspb_post_css":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-senza-categoria"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1,"label":"Senza categoria"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Gruppo-AQ-Tassazione-Criptovalute-2026-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"adminer","author_link":"#"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1,"name":"Senza categoria","slug":"senza-categoria","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":61,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":1,"category_count":61,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Senza categoria","category_nicename":"senza-categoria","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gruppoaq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}