From January 1, 2026, 48 countries have begun collecting cryptocurrency transaction data under the Cryptocurrency Reporting Framework (CARF), preparing for a global tax information exchange system from 2027.
2026 marks a significant turning point in global digital asset tax administration as 48 countries and jurisdictions officially begin collecting data on cryptocurrency transactions. This move is the starting point for the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), an initiative developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to build a global tax transparency infrastructure for the digital asset sector.
The first wave of rollout includes major economies such as Germany, France, Japan, and the UK, while key financial centers like Luxembourg, Ireland, and Singapore will follow. These countries are required to begin recording user transaction information through cryptocurrency wallets starting this year, although the exchange of data between tax authorities will only officially begin in 2027.
Scope of application and affected subjects
According to the OECD classification, reporting crypto asset service providers (RCASPs) are obligated to collect data including centralized exchanges, some decentralized exchanges, crypto asset ATMs, brokers, and intermediaries. However, the scope of data collection is limited to cryptographically secured Distributed Ledger based assets, thus excluding central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) from the reporting list.
The deployment roadmap is Chia into three distinct waves. The second wave, comprising 27 countries such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the UAE, will begin collecting data from January 2027 to participate in information exchange from 2028. Notably, the United States belongs to the third wave, with plans to collect data from 2028 and join the system in 2029.
Meanwhile, five countries—Argentina, El Salvador, Georgia, India, and Vietnam—have decided not to join CARF. This decision may stem from a variety of reasons, ranging from preferential policies for crypto assets, as in the case of El Salvador, to considerations of data sovereignty and domestic legal frameworks.
CARF was developed starting in 2021 at the request of G20 finance ministers and was officially approved by the OECD in 2023. Its main objective is to eliminate tax management gaps caused by the cross-border nature of the cryptocurrency market, while also strengthening tax compliance oversight and anti-money laundering efforts.
Although the data is officially collected solely for tax purposes, industry experts believe that in the long term, this body of information could significantly expand the capacity of government agencies to identify owners, analyze asset structures, and detect transnational illicit financial activities.
