MiCA explainer

DAC8 and CARF 22.07.2026: Crypto Tax Reporting

Tuesday, 22nd July: No primary event to report in the last 24 hours, so here's an explanatory article on DAC8/CARF. From 01.01.2026, crypto service providers will collect tax data; first reporting in 2027. Baltic and Nordic map.

Toms Ābeltiņš

22 July 20267 min read

In the last 24 hours (21st-22nd July), there have been no specific primary updates in the Baltic and Nordic crypto exchange, CASP, hardware wallet, card, and tax tool segments. Therefore, this is an explanatory article on an ongoing topic: DAC8 (Council Directive (EU) 2023/2226, adopted 17.10.2023) and the OECD CARF framework for crypto-asset tax reporting. From 1st January 2026, crypto-asset service providers (RCASPs) will collect user and transaction data; the first reports to national authorities are due in early 2027 (in Estonia by 30.06.2027), with international exchange by 30.09.2027. In Latvia, amendments to the law "On Taxes and Fees" were published on 21.11.2025 (penalties up to 14,000 euros, partial implementation). Norway is not subject to DAC8 and is implementing CARF directly through Skatteetaten.

In the last 24 hours (21st-22nd July), there have been no specific primary updates in the Baltic and Nordic crypto exchange, CASP, hardware wallet, card, and tax tool segments. Therefore, this release is an explanatory article (not a daily news update) on an ongoing, regionally significant topic: how crypto-asset tax reporting will change from 1st January 2026, in accordance with the EU directive DAC8 and the OECD framework CARF. The topic is particularly relevant now because 2026 is the first year for data collection, with the first reporting deadlines falling in 2027. Dates for each element are provided in the text; where national implementation differs or is not yet complete, this is explicitly stated.

What are DAC8 and CARF

DAC8 is Council Directive (EU) 2023/2226, adopted on 17th October 2023. It expands the EU's automatic exchange of information in the field of taxation to include crypto-assets, and is based on the OECD's international standard - the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which the OECD published in mid-2023. In practice, DAC8 incorporates the CARF logic into EU law and links it to MiCA definitions: crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) operating within the MiCA framework also become "reporting crypto-asset service providers" (RCASPs) for tax reporting purposes.

The deadline for member states to transpose the Directive was 31st December 2025, and the new rules apply from 1st January 2026. This means that transactions recorded during this year already fall within the first reporting period.

How reporting changes from 2026

From 1st January 2026, RCASPs are obliged to identify and verify their users - including tax residency and taxpayer identification number - and to collect information on reportable crypto-asset transactions: acquisition, disposal, exchange, and transfers. Data is aggregated for each crypto-asset and user on an annual basis.

The first reports to national tax authorities for 2026 data are due in early 2027 (e.g., in Estonia - by 30th June 2027), and competent authorities will exchange information among themselves within nine months after the end of the calendar year, i.e., by 30th September 2027. Reporting only applies to transactions from 2026; earlier periods are not included in this automatic mechanism, although tax authorities may still request them separately.

Baltic Map: Where implementation stands

In Latvia, the Saeima (Parliament) published amendments to the law "On Taxes and Fees" on 21st November 2025, which introduce DAC8 reporting obligations for crypto-asset service providers and apply from 1st January 2026. The amendments provide for penalties for non-compliance of up to 14,000 euros and authorise the development of Cabinet of Ministers level regulations. Implementation is currently partial: according to publicly available information, the draft law does not yet include some DAC8 elements, such as expanded reporting of cross-border rulings and mechanisms. This remains under observation as an incomplete step.

In Estonia, the Tax and Customs Board (EMTA) has confirmed that service providers will start collecting user and transaction data from 1st January 2026; the first annual report for 2026 data is due by 30th June 2027, and the first international information exchange will take place by 30th September 2027. EMTA requires the use of the CARF XML schema and has promised additional technical guidelines.

Lithuania, as an EU member state, is transposing the same DAC8 framework with the same start date of application in 2026; detailed technical guidance from the national administration is a matter for observation, and we do not present specific confirmed dates in this article.

Nordic Map: EU and non-EU approach

Finland, Sweden, and Denmark are EU member states, so DAC8 applies directly to them with the same start date of application on 1st January 2026 and the 2027 exchange schedule. The tax administrations of these countries are already publishing guidelines for service providers.

Norway (and Iceland) are not subject to DAC8 because the directive is a tax law, which the European Economic Area Agreement does not cover. Therefore, Norway is implementing CARF directly: the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) has stipulated that from 1st January 2026, providers of crypto-asset exchange and custody services are obliged to collect information on users and transactions and report it annually as third-party data. The practical result is equivalent to DAC8: in the region, both EU and non-EU countries are moving towards the first exchange in 2027.

In a broader context, approximately 76 jurisdictions (based on early 2026 data) have committed to implementing CARF, most with the first exchange in 2027; the US has signalled a later schedule, aiming for 2029.

What this means for service providers and users

Regional CASPs now bear a dual regulatory burden: MiCA defines operational authorisation and supervision, while DAC8/CARF adds tax data collection, storage, and reporting obligations with separate penalties. For businesses already operating with regional clients in 2026, data collection is happening now, even if the first report is not due until 2027.

For users, the main practical consequence is transparency: tax authorities will henceforth receive structured data on accounts and transactions, and in several countries, this will gradually appear in pre-filled declarations. However, this does not change the fundamental obligation - users must still declare capital gains, losses, and other income from crypto-assets themselves. Tax tools that we have reviewed separately - Koinly, Blockpit, Divly, and Summ - remain useful in this environment as data reconciliation and calculation instruments, but the centre of gravity for reporting shifts to the service provider side. The consistency between user and platform submitted data becomes more important, as discrepancies can lead to queries from the tax administration.

Watchlist and next checkpoints

The first real deadlines fall in 2027 - national reports in the first half of 2027 and international exchange by 30th September; until then, the main focus is on the quality of data collection in 2026. In Latvia, we are watching whether the partial implementation (cross-border ruling reporting and Cabinet of Ministers regulations) will be completed. In Lithuania and the EU Nordic countries, we are following the publications of national technical guidelines and XML schemas. In Norway and other non-EU CARF jurisdictions, we are observing how closely national implementation aligns with the overall 2027 schedule. We will review these points as soon as dated regulatory updates appear.

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