Crypto Tax in Ireland 2026: The New 31% CGT Rate and €1,270 Exemption Explained

Photo: David P Howard / Wikimedia Commons (geograph.org.uk), CC BY-SA 2.0

If you sold Bitcoin this year and live in Ireland, there is a date you should not miss: 15 December 2026. Crypto tax in Ireland works through ordinary Capital Gains Tax (CGT), and Budget 2027 has just changed the rate. Gains on disposals made on or after 7 October 2026 are taxed at 31% instead of 33%, while the €1,270 annual exemption stays the same. This beginner guide explains what counts as a taxable event, how to work out your gain, which rate applies to which sale, and when to pay and file.

How crypto tax in Ireland works: no special rules, just CGT

Revenue, the Irish tax authority, says plainly that there are no special tax rules for cryptocurrencies or crypto-assets. Its Tax and Duty Manual on crypto-assets explains that the normal rules for Income Tax, Corporation Tax and CGT apply, depending on what you do.

For a typical private investor who buys and holds coins, the key point is this: according to Revenue, the sale, transfer or redemption of crypto-assets is most likely to be a disposal for CGT purposes, unless you are actually carrying on a trade of dealing in crypto. If you trade so often that it looks like a business, Income Tax rules may apply instead, and you should get professional advice.

What counts as a taxable disposal?

A disposal is not only "selling for euros". In Revenue's guidance and examples, these situations create a CGT event:

Selling crypto for euros or another fiat currency.
Paying for goods or services with crypto. Revenue's own example is someone paying in a local café with crypto, which is a disposal on which the gain must be calculated, declared and taxed.
Transferring or redeeming crypto-assets, for example giving coins away. For gifts to someone other than your spouse or civil partner, CGT rules use the market value instead of the price you received.
Swapping one coin for another is generally treated as disposing of one asset and acquiring another, so it is worth recording the euro value of every swap.

Simply buying crypto with euros, or moving coins between your own wallets, is not a sale. Still, keep the records: you will need the purchase price later to calculate your gain.

How to calculate your gain step by step

Revenue describes the chargeable gain as the sale price minus the purchase price and any allowable expenses, such as the costs of buying and selling. The gain must be worked out separately for each asset and each disposal, then added up for the whole tax year (1 January to 31 December).

Proceeds: what you received in euros (or the euro market value).
Minus cost: what you paid for those coins, plus allowable costs such as transaction fees.
Minus losses: losses in the same year reduce your gains, and unused losses can be carried forward to later years.
Minus the €1,270 exemption: each individual's first €1,270 of net chargeable gains per year is exempt. Revenue notes that it can only reduce a gain; if your gains are only €960, the unused €310 is lost.
Multiply by the rate that applies on the date of each disposal (see below).

Because crypto prices differ between exchanges, Revenue asks for "a reasonable effort" to use an appropriate valuation for each transaction. Pick a consistent, documented source.

The new 31% rate: which sales does it cover?

In his Budget 2027 statement on 6 October 2026, Minister for Finance Simon Harris announced a cut in the standard CGT rate from 33% to 31%. The Dáil financial resolution and Revenue eBrief No. 142/26 confirm that the reduced rate applies to disposals made on or after 7 October 2026. That means 2026 is a split year:

Item	Rule for individuals in 2026
Disposals 1 January – 6 October 2026	33% CGT
Disposals on or after 7 October 2026	31% CGT
Annual personal exemption	First €1,270 of net gains per person per year
Losses	Offset against gains in the same year; excess carried forward
Gains from 1 January – 30 November	Pay by 15 December 2026
Gains from 1 – 31 December	Pay by 31 January 2027
Tax return	By 31 October 2027 (extended deadline if filed through ROS)
Record keeping	Keep records for 6 years

A simple worked example

Aoife bought Bitcoin for €2,000 in 2024 and paid a €20 fee. On 20 October 2026 she sold it all for €6,000 and paid a €30 fee. She made no other disposals this year.

Gain: €6,000 − €2,000 − €50 fees = €3,950
Minus the €1,270 exemption = €2,680 taxable
CGT at 31% = €830.80, due by 15 December 2026

Had she sold on 1 October 2026 instead, the 33% rate would have applied, giving €884.40. This example is illustrative only and ignores any other gains, losses or reliefs.

When and how to pay and file CGT on crypto

Ireland uses self-assessment: you register, calculate, pay and file yourself. Revenue's rules split each year into two periods:

Initial period (1 January – 30 November): pay the CGT by 15 December of the same year.
Later period (1 – 31 December): pay by 31 January of the next year.

Payment comes before the return. To pay, you register for CGT in myAccount (Manage My Record, then Tax Registrations) or in ROS (Manage Tax Registrations), using your PPSN or tax reference number. You only register once.

The return is due by 31 October of the year after the disposal, and you must file even if no tax is due because of losses or reliefs. Which form you use depends on your situation:

Form CG1 (paper) if you do not normally file an annual tax return.
Form 12 (paper version) if you are a PAYE employee who must file; Revenue notes you cannot report CGT on the eForm 12.
Form 11 through ROS if you are self-employed or have non-PAYE income.

Late payment triggers interest and a late return triggers a penalty, so it is worth putting both dates in your calendar now.

Selling soon? Our guide on how to withdraw euros from a crypto exchange to your bank explains the SEPA side, and the records you download there are exactly what your CGT calculation needs.

Records, DAC8 and other common mistakes

Revenue reminds taxpayers that crypto records, including those stored in a wallet on a computer or phone, must be made available on request and kept for six years. That applies to PAYE-only employees too. Download your exchange history every year, because platforms can close or limit old data.

Hiding gains is also getting harder. Under the EU's DAC8 rules, crypto providers collect and report user data to tax authorities from 2026. Our DAC8 explainer covers what is shared and when.

Other points beginners often miss:

Gifts and inheritances of crypto can also fall under Capital Acquisitions Tax, valued at the euro market value on the valuation date.
Crypto paid as salary is taxed through payroll at its euro value when paid.
Moving abroad? Rules differ a lot across Europe. Compare Ireland with Belgium's new 10% crypto tax or Germany's one-year rule.

FAQ

Do I pay tax on crypto in Ireland if I never sold it?
Generally not while you just hold it. CGT arises when you dispose of crypto, for example selling it, spending it, gifting it or swapping it.

Is the first €1,270 of crypto gains tax-free in Ireland?
Yes. Each individual's first €1,270 of total net chargeable gains per year is exempt, but it covers all your gains together, not each coin separately.

Do I have to file a return if my gain is under €1,270?
Revenue says you must file a CGT return if you disposed of an asset, even if no tax is due. If unsure about your case, check with Revenue or a tax adviser.

Important disclaimer: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Tax rules depend on your residence, domicile and personal situation and can change. Check Revenue's current guidance or speak to a qualified tax adviser before you act.

Bottom line

Crypto tax in Ireland is ordinary CGT: work out each gain in euros, deduct costs, losses and the €1,270 exemption, then apply 33% to disposals before 7 October 2026 and 31% from that date. If you sold between January and November, pay by 15 December 2026, and file your return by 31 October 2027. Good records make all of it much easier.

Sources

Advice Me publishes general information only. Always verify current rules with official sources before acting.

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