Are crypto-to-crypto swaps taxable in Poland?

No. The Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa confirms that exchanges between virtual currencies -- whether on an exchange platform or made individually -- are not taxable events under Polish personal income tax law. Tax arises only when virtual currency is converted to fiat money (PLN, EUR, etc.) or used to purchase goods, services, or other non-virtual property rights.

What is the tax rate on cryptocurrency gains in Poland?

A flat 19% rate applies to net gains from the disposal of virtual currencies, calculated as revenue from taxable disposals minus documented deductible costs. The rate is fixed regardless of the size of the gain, with no tax-free allowance. Gains are reported on the PIT-38 annual tax declaration, filed by 30 April of the following year.

Can cryptocurrency losses be offset against other income in Poland?

No. When deductible costs for virtual currency exceed disposal revenue in a given year, the excess is not treated as a loss against employment or business income. Instead, the surplus carries forward and increases the deductible cost pool in the following tax year. This carryforward mechanism is specific to the virtual currency income category and cannot reduce income from other sources.

Do I need to file PIT-38 if I only bought cryptocurrency and never sold?

Yes, if documented acquisition costs were incurred during the tax year. Polish rules require PIT-38 to be filed even when no taxable revenue was received, provided expenses for purchasing virtual currency were incurred. Filing establishes the formal cost carryforward record with the tax authority. The filing deadline is 30 April of the year following the relevant tax year.

How does the DAC8 directive affect Polish cryptocurrency holders from 2026?

From 1 January 2026, centralised exchanges and custodial providers operating in Poland must report each user's identity, tax identification number, and full transaction history directly to the Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa under Poland's transposition of EU Directive 2023/2226. KAS will exchange this data automatically with other EU tax authorities. The OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Standard (CARF) extends similar reporting globally from 2027.

Crypto Taxation in Poland — Rates, Rules & Filing

What tax rate applies to cryptocurrency gains in Poland?

The Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS) taxes cryptocurrency gains for individuals at a flat 19% rate under the Ustawa z dnia 26 lipca 1991 r. o podatku dochodowym od osob fizycznych (Personal Income Tax Act of 26 July 1991). Gains are classified as income from the disposal of virtual currencies and fall within the category of income from money capital, reported annually on the PIT-38 declaration (podatki.gov.pl, accessed 2026-06-08).

There is no minimum threshold: even 1 PLN of taxable gain triggers the obligation to file PIT-38 and pay tax. The 19% rate is fixed regardless of the amount of gain -- no progressive bands apply to this category of income.

Which cryptocurrency events are taxable, and which are not?

Polish tax law treats crypto-to-crypto exchanges as not subject to taxation. The KAS guidance states explicitly: exchanges between virtual currencies, whether conducted on an exchange or individually, are not taxable events. Tax arises only when a virtual currency is exchanged for legal tender (PLN, EUR, USD, etc.), used to purchase goods or services, or used to settle other obligations denominated in non-virtual currency (podatki.gov.pl, accessed 2026-06-08). Mining a cryptocurrency does not itself generate PIT income; the taxable event occurs only on subsequent disposal.

Event	Taxable under PIT?
Exchange crypto for PLN or other fiat currency	Yes -- 19% flat rate
Pay for goods or services using crypto	Yes -- 19% flat rate
Swap one cryptocurrency for another (e.g. BTC to ETH)	No -- not a taxable event
Receive crypto through mining	No -- taxable only on later disposal
Purchase cryptocurrency with PLN	No -- creates a deductible cost
Transfer crypto between your own wallets	No -- not a disposal

What costs are deductible, and how does the carryforward rule work?

Documented acquisition costs for virtual currencies reduce taxable income. Deductible costs include the purchase price of the cryptocurrency and exchange commissions or brokerage fees paid directly in connection with the transactions. Financing costs (loan interest), mining hardware, and electricity are not deductible costs under the virtual-currency category (MDDP, accessed 2026-06-08).

If deductible costs in a given tax year exceed the revenue from crypto disposals, the excess is not a loss that offsets other income categories -- instead, the surplus carries forward and increases deductible costs in the next tax year. This carryforward mechanism is confirmed in the KAS guidance on zbycie kryptowalut (podatki.gov.pl, accessed 2026-06-08). Crypto losses cannot offset income from employment, business activity, or other capital gains categories.

How is PIT-38 completed and filed?

The PIT-38 form is the annual personal income tax declaration covering income from money capital, including virtual currency disposals. Taxpayers report the total revenue from crypto disposals and total deductible costs for the calendar year, regardless of the number of transactions. The aggregated net gain (or cost carryforward) is entered on the form.

The filing window runs from 15 February to 30 April of the year following the tax year (for example, transactions in 2025 are reported by 30 April 2026). Filing is available via the e-Urząd Skarbowy portal, the Twój e-PIT service, the e-Deklaracje system, the e-US mobile application, or on paper submitted to the competent tax office (podatki.gov.pl, accessed 2026-06-08). Crypto exchanges operating in Poland do not issue PIT-8C or PIT-11 information forms -- taxpayers are responsible for self-reporting all transactions.

An important rule: PIT-38 must be filed even if no income was earned from crypto during the year, provided deductible costs were incurred. This ensures the cost carryforward is formally established.

What changed with the DAC8 directive and the 2025 Crypto-Assets Act?

In December 2025 Poland passed the Crypto-Assets Act 2.0, which transposes the EU DAC8 directive (Council Directive 2023/2226) into Polish law with effect from 1 January 2026. Under DAC8, centralised exchanges and custodial wallet providers operating in Poland (including Binance, Kraken, and domestic platforms such as Zonda) are required to collect and report to KAS each user's identity, tax identification number, and a full transaction record covering purchases, sales, swaps, and transfers. KAS then shares this data with other EU member states under the standard automatic exchange of information system (Koinly, accessed 2026-06-08).

The OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Standard (CARF) is scheduled to extend automatic reporting globally from 1 January 2027, covering non-EU platforms.

For detailed background on Poland's tax residency rules and how they interact with crypto obligations, see the Poland country overview. Individuals with complex multi-exchange or multi-year positions -- particularly those holding positions across both centralised and decentralised platforms ahead of the DAC8 reporting window -- should consult a qualified Polish doradca podatkowy or tax attorney before filing. Nothing on this page constitutes professional legal or fiscal guidance; always verify current rules with a licensed doradca podatkowy.

Crypto Taxation in Poland

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