Ireland Crypto Tax Guide 2026

Ireland taxes cryptocurrency gains under the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) framework at a rate of 33%. The Revenue Commissioners treat cryptocurrency as a chargeable asset subject to CGT on disposal. Ireland applies specific anti-avoidance rules including the "4-week rule" (also known as the bed-and-breakfasting rule) which prevents selling and rebuying within 4 weeks to crystallize losses. Ireland uses a First In, First Out (FIFO) basis for determining which units are disposed of. The standard Irish tax year runs from January 1 to December 31, with self-assessment filing deadlines.

All capital gains from cryptocurrency disposals are taxed at 33%, regardless of the size of the gain or the holding period. There is no lower rate for long-term holdings as in some other countries. An annual personal exemption of €1,270 applies — the first €1,270 of total capital gains in a year (from all sources, not just crypto) is tax-free. Taxable events include selling crypto for EUR, crypto-to-crypto trades, spending crypto, and gifting crypto. The gain is calculated as disposal proceeds minus the allowable cost (purchase price plus incidental costs like fees).

Ireland's 4-week rule (Section 581 TCA 1997) prevents "bed and breakfasting" — selling an asset to realize a loss and immediately rebuying it. If you dispose of and reacquire the same cryptocurrency within 4 weeks (28 days), the loss cannot be offset against other gains. The reacquired crypto takes on the cost basis of the original. This rule is important for tax-loss harvesting strategies. You must wait at least 29 days before rebuying the same cryptocurrency to claim the loss.

CGT in Ireland operates on a self-assessment basis. There are two payment periods: gains arising from January 1 to November 30 must be paid by December 15 of the same year; gains arising in December must be paid by January 31 of the following year. The annual CGT return (Form CG1, or included in Form 11 for self-assessed taxpayers) is due by October 31 of the following year (extended to mid-November for ROS online filers). Failure to pay on time incurs interest at 0.0219% per day.

Staking rewards and mining income may be subject to Income Tax rather than CGT, depending on the nature of the activity. Casual staking and mining income is typically treated as miscellaneous income taxable at your marginal rate (20% or 40%) plus USC (up to 8%) and PRSI (4%). If mining is a trade, income is subject to income tax as self-employment income. The income value at receipt establishes the CGT cost base for future disposals.

Taxxy calculates crypto gains using FIFO and applies the 33% CGT rate. The platform identifies transactions affected by the 4-week rule and adjusts loss calculations accordingly. All values are converted to EUR using historical exchange rates. Taxxy generates a CG1-compatible summary with gains organized by the two payment periods (Jan-Nov and December), making it easy to meet the split payment deadlines.