Colombia and France Strengthen Crypto Tax Regulations: Who’s Affected?

Colombia and France are ramping up their oversight of the cryptocurrency space, marking a notable shift in global tax enforcement. All crypto exchanges, intermediaries, and even individuals using self-custody wallets are facing unprecedented scrutiny.

Key Takeaways

Colombia's New Reporting Requirement: Crypto service providers must now report user data to the National Directorate of Taxes and Customs (DIAN) under resolution 000240, effective for the 2026 tax year.
Focus on Self-Custody Wallets in France: French authorities require holders of self-custody wallets with balances exceeding €5,000 ($5,800) to declare their accounts, expanding oversight beyond exchanges.
Global Trend: Countries are increasingly pushing for detailed reporting obligations to ensure compliance and transparency in the crypto sector, impacting exchanges and individual users alike.
Increasing Oversight Risks: Non-compliance with these regulations could lead to significant fines and other legal repercussions for crypto investors and platforms.

These actions underscore a growing trend among governments to identify and track crypto ownership, prevent tax evasion, and align national regulations with global transparency standards.

Colombia's Reporting Requirements for Crypto Exchanges

In Colombia, the National Directorate of Taxes and Customs (DIAN) has mandated that crypto service providers adhere to new reporting standards. The requirement arises from Resolution 000240, issued on December 24, 2025. This regulation mandates that exchanges, intermediaries, and other platforms dealing with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether must gather and report comprehensive information on their users and transactions.

The required data includes details such as transaction volumes and user identities. While the resolution is effective immediately, the obligation to submit reports kicks in starting with the 2026 tax year, with the first detailed filings required by the end of May 2027.

Previously, Colombia required individuals to declare their cryptocurrency holdings and capital gains, but there was no system for third-party reporting. The new regulations allow tax authorities to cross-check user declarations and better integrate digital assets into the tax framework. Failing to comply with these regulations or providing incorrect data can lead to fines of up to 1% of unreported transactions.

Colombia is recognized as one of the most dynamic crypto markets in Latin America. A report by Chainalysis from October 2025 highlighted that the country processed approximately $44.2 billion in crypto transactions from July 2024 to June 2025, making it the fifth-largest crypto market in the region and the second-fastest growing, just behind Brazil.

Colombia Ranking in LATAM Source: Chainalysis

France’s New Regulations on Self-Custody Wallets

Moving to Europe, France is expanding its reporting requirements to include self-custody wallets. Recent amendments passed by the National Assembly in December 2025 mandate that individuals with wallets like Ledger, MetaMask, Rabby, and Deblock report any holdings over €5,000 ($5,800). This legislative push enjoys support across various political factions and is based on recommendations from the Conseil des prélèvements obligatoires (CPO).

This new oversight extends beyond traditional exchanges to the growing sector of non-custodial crypto assets. French lawmakers are responding to a series of events that have underscored the risks associated with inadequate tax oversight. In May 2025, a database with sensitive tax and personal information on over two million French taxpayers, including crypto owners, was found available for purchase on dark web forums. Additionally, high-profile kidnappings targeting crypto investors and charges against a tax official accused of using taxpayer information to aid criminal organizations have intensified the call for regulation.

The developments in Colombia and France reflect a global trend toward stricter voluntary reporting measures. As governments strive to tighten the oversight of crypto trading, both exchanges and individual investors are becoming part of a comprehensive digital audit trail designed to ensure tax compliance and deter evasion.

This shift is comparable to recent changes in the UAE, which have resulted in significant regulatory updates, including the criminalization of unlicensed crypto tools, such as self-custody wallets.

In essence, it appears that the era of semi-anonymity in the cryptocurrency space is coming to an end. Governments are increasingly focused on tracking wallet ownership and transactions closely. As a result, digital assets are now firmly on the radar of tax authorities in these countries, indicating that both non-compliance and failure to adhere to these new regulations can lead to serious financial and legal consequences.

With Colombia and France spearheading these initiatives, it may be time for crypto investors and platforms globally to brace themselves for a more transparent and closely regulated market.