Bitcoin and digital assets assimilated to a bank account: goodbye to anonymity and new rates for millions of investors and savers
From January 1, 2026, having Bitcoin will no longer be very different from having a bank account. Traceability of operations, visibility towards the tax authorities and integration into a global information system will become the new normal for cryptocurrencies too. After more than a decade of growth in an industry with fragmented rules and wide margins of anonymity, Bitcoin and other digital assets officially enter the era of fiscal transparency and public oversight. A historic passage that concerns millions of Italian investors, operators and savers.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies: data, controls and the end of anonymity from 2026
From January 1, 2026, the systematic collection of information on who holds or trades cryptocurrencies will begin. In fact, Italy has joined, together with 47 other countries, the Crypto–Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), developed within the OECD to strengthen international tax cooperation on digital assets. The objective is clear: to make cryptocurrency transactions traceable and encourage the fiscal emergence of a sector that has so far enjoyed almost absolute freedom. The CARF updates the mechanisms for the automatic exchange of information already tested in the banking sector and extends them to the crypto world, imposing more stringent reporting standards. Tax administrations must build a structured system for sharing data on digital assets by 2027. The European Union has accelerated the process. In fact, the Dac8 directive will come into force in 2026, which will oblige sector operators to identify users, verify their tax residence and communicate wallet movements and balances to the national authorities. In parallel, the European Micar regulation defines clear requirements for i Crypto-Asset Service Providers: authorizations, customer controls, financial solidity and cooperation with tax and supervisory authorities.
The result? Those who have Bitcoin and digital assets become “equal”, from an information point of view, to a bank account holder: less anonymity, more traceability and full integration into a global monitoring system. A bit like when new rules come into force that establish the end of banking secrecy in tax havens to put an end to strong volatility, high risks and scandals that have undermined trust in the sector.
Cryptocurrency taxation: who pays more and what can change
2026 also brings with it changes on the tax issue. Currently in Italy, capital gains deriving from crypto-assets are subject to a substitute tax of 26%, with an exemption of 2 thousand euros. However, the 2025 Budget Law has already provided for a change of pace. From January 1, 2026, barring last-minute changes, capital gains from cryptocurrencies are expected to be taxed at 33%, an increase of seven percentage points. However, the rate applicable to euro-denominated stablecoins would remain at 26%, thus distinguishing between instruments pegged to traditional currencies and more volatile assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
