The tax structure of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in Spain has entered a decisive stage. This comes as the Ministry of Finance has begun the public hearing process for a draft order establishing a new declaration model for digital assets.
The measure, administered by the AEAT, imposes obligations on service providers such as exchanges and custodial platforms to provide detailed information about the operations and balances of users residing in the country.
As reported by CriptoNoticias, this regulatory development, which entered a new phase on March 10, 2026, is in response to the transposition of the European DAC8 Directive, which aims to integrate digital assets into the European Union’s automatic information exchange system.
Spain was already moving ahead with regulations by 2025, but this new order Defines the technical protocols required for the platform to comply The application deadline actually takes effect on January 1, 2026.
The new regulation repeals the previous National Protocol and replaces it with a reporting framework that is harmonized with international standards from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The core of the project is now articulated through four key tools:
The purpose of this draft order is to approve the Census Model for Cryptoactive Operators 042 and Models 172, 175, and 721.
Treasury Regulatory Impact Analysis Report (March 2026).
Under this structure, Form 042 serves as the operator’s mandatory record, while Forms 172 and 175 record an annual picture of balances and transaction details, respectively.
The latter includes A wide range of activities ranging from traditional Bitcoin to virtual currency buying and sellingairdrop staking, lending, and receiving. Meanwhile, the Model 721 maintains oversight of assets located overseas, increasing its international surveillance reach.
The regulation requires companies to apply due diligence procedures to verify the tax residence of their customers and report the value in euros according to market prices.
However, the text maintains the basic technical differences, such as the fact that the reporting obligation rests with the intermediary. Exclude holdings managed through self-custody wallets from automatic exchange of information. If no service provider is involved.
This transition creates conflicting opinions. Some members of the Spanish digital asset community have pointed out that automated reporting means an invasion of privacy in a centralized environment and increased compliance operational costs for companies.
In contrast, financial analysts emphasize that this step is necessary to reduce evasion risks and ensure that cryptocurrencies are treated on par with other traditional financial assets within the European single market.
in any case, The public hearing period will be held until March 30, 2026.. Once the analysis of the claim is complete, it will be published in the Official Gazette (BOE), enabling a mechanism for the data generated during the current exercise to be formally communicated to tax authorities from 2027.
(Tag translation) Bitcoin (BTC)
