Crypto tax by country: where individuals pay 0% and where 30% bites
Based on verified official data as of 09.08.2026; hands-on update coming.
As of 9 August 2026, the UAE levies 0% capital gains tax on crypto for individuals, and Portugal charges 0% on disposals after 365 days of holding (28% before that). At the other end, India taxes crypto gains at a flat 30% plus 1% TDS, and Russian non-residents pay 30%. Most of these regimes carry conditions - licensed venues, holding periods, or a 'trading as a business' test - so the headline rate rarely tells the whole story.
TL;DR
- UAE, Portugal (after 365 days), Switzerland (private investors), Armenia and Belarus can reach 0% personal crypto tax under conditions - not automatically.
- Thailand exempts capital gains on trades via licensed platforms through 2029, but the editor's 5-year-holding claim is not confirmed by the official announcement.
- India is the harshest listed: 30% flat on gains plus 1% TDS on transactions, with no long-term relief.
- US long-term gains are 0/15/20% by income (single filers hit 0% under $49,450 taxable income for 2025); short-term is taxed as ordinary income up to 37%.
- Netherlands and Argentina tax deemed or presumed returns, not just realised gains - a wealth-tax logic that can bite even in a flat year.
Why the headline rate almost never tells the whole story
A '0%' label attracts screenshots, but every zero on this list rests on a condition. Portugal's 0% only applies after holding an asset for more than 365 days; sell earlier and the rate is 28%. Switzerland exempts private investors' capital gains, but reclassifies you as a professional trader if activity looks commercial. Singapore has no capital gains tax at all, yet taxes crypto as income when trading is frequent enough to count as a business.
The lesson for anyone choosing a base: residency rules, holding periods and the line between investing and trading matter more than the advertised number. This guide compares 15 jurisdictions using the rates circulated in an August 2026 summary, cross-checked against the primary tax authority pages we could reach. Where an official source was unreachable or silent, we say so plainly rather than dress up the claim.
“#крипта #налоги Налоги на крипту в разных странах мира • ОАЭ — 0% налога на прирост капитала для физлиц. • Таиланд — прибыль от продажи криптовалюты через лицензированные платформы освобождена от налога до конца 2029 года (условие - владение криптой более 5 лет). • Беларусь — доходы физлиц с криптовалюты освобождены от подоходного налога при соблюдении требований законодательства. • Сингапур — прибыль от торговли цифровыми активами может облагаться налогом, если торговля осуществляется регулярно и считается бизнесом. • Армения — отдельного налога на прирост капитала от криптовалюты для физлиц ”
The 15-country table at a glance
Rates below are for individuals holding crypto as private investors unless noted. Business or professional-trader classification changes the treatment in most of these countries, and none of this is tax advice - confirm with a local adviser before acting.
Two entries deserve a warning flag. Thailand's five-year-holding condition appears in the editor's summary but not in the official Nation Thailand report of the signed regulation, which describes a straight five-year exemption on licensed-platform trades. Vietnam has granted digital assets legal status but has not published a dedicated crypto tax system yet.
| Country | Individual rate | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| UAE | 0% | No personal capital gains tax on investment returns |
| Portugal | 0% / 28% | 0% after 365-day hold, 28% if sold sooner |
| Switzerland | 0% | Private investors only; pro traders taxed |
| Singapore | 0% or income tax | Income tax if trading counts as a business |
| Armenia | No specific CGT | Business activity taxed under general rules |
| Belarus | 0% | Individuals exempt from income tax under Decree No. 8 conditions |
| Thailand | 0% | Licensed-platform trades, exemption runs 5 years |
| Vietnam | Not published | Assets have legal status; tax regime forming |
| USA | 0/15/20% long-term | Short-term taxed as income up to 37% |
| Netherlands | Box 3 wealth tax | Taxed on deemed return, not actual gains |
| Argentina | Varies | Income and/or wealth tax by operation type |
| Russia | 13% / 15% | 15% above 2.4M RUB/yr; non-residents 30% |
| Poland | 19% | Flat rate on crypto income |
| UK | 18% / 24% | Capital gains tax by income band |
| India | 30% + 1% TDS | Flat, no long-term relief |
The zero-tax cluster: UAE, Portugal, Switzerland, Belarus
The UAE Federal Tax Authority confirms individuals are not subject to corporate tax on personal investment returns, which keeps crypto capital gains at 0% for residents holding personally. This is the cleanest zero on the list, with no holding period attached, and it is a large part of why Dubai draws crypto residents.
Portugal's 0% is time-gated: hold more than 365 days and disposal gains are exempt for private investors; sell inside a year and a 28% rate applies. Switzerland taxes crypto as property (wealth tax on holdings) but exempts private capital gains, flipping to taxable if you trade professionally. Belarus exempts individual crypto income under its 2017 Decree No. 8 conditions, a regime periodically extended rather than permanent - check the current expiry before relying on it.
The high-tax and complex regimes: India, UK, Netherlands, US
India is the outlier for severity: a flat 30% on gains plus a 1% TDS withheld on transactions, with no distinction for long-term holding and no loss offset against other income. The UK applies capital gains tax at 18% or 24% depending on your income band, after the annual exempt amount.
The Netherlands does not tax your actual crypto profit at all - it taxes a deemed return on your total assets under Box 3, so you can owe tax in a losing year. The US splits by holding period: long-term gains (held over a year) fall into 0%, 15% or 20% brackets, with the 0% band for single filers up to $49,450 taxable income; anything held under a year is ordinary income, up to 37%. Confirm the current-year thresholds with the IRS, as they adjust annually.
How tax residency interacts with cards and custody
Where you spend crypto does not change where it is taxed - your tax residency does. A crypto card lets you spend a balance without a formal 'disposal' on an exchange, but most tax authorities treat spending crypto as a taxable disposal at the moment of the transaction. That matters in high-rate jurisdictions and is easy to overlook when a card makes spending feel like using a bank account.
For readers structuring around this, keep clean records: cards produce spend logs, but reconciling cost basis is on you. Our KYC friction ranking and no-KYC hub cover the privacy trade-offs, but privacy is not the same as tax exemption. A no-KYC card does not erase a reporting obligation in your country of residence - it only changes who sees the transaction upfront.
Risk warning: derivatives and crypto-backed credit involve significant risk, including liquidation of your collateral. Never commit funds you cannot afford to lose. Nothing on this page is financial, investment or tax advice.
Who this is NOT for
- Anyone wanting a definitive tax filing answer - these are headline rates, not advice for your specific situation.
- Traders needing current-year US brackets or UK allowances down to the exact figure, which change annually.
- People assuming a no-KYC card removes a tax reporting duty in their home country - it does not.
- Residents of countries not on this list, where treatment may differ entirely.
Frequently asked questions
The UAE stands out with no personal capital gains tax and no holding condition. Portugal (after 365 days), Switzerland (private investors), Belarus and Singapore (non-business activity) reach 0% but each carries conditions that can flip you into taxable status.
NomadCrypto Editor
Editorial Team, NomadCard
The NomadCrypto editorial team verifies every published fee across 59 crypto cards against issuer documentation, with the verification date shown on every figure.