DAC 8 crypto-assets 2026: what platforms, holdings and corporate holders must report in France
DAC 8 takes effect on 1 January 2026 in France: a complete guide for CASPs, holdings and crypto-holding companies. Legal framework, MiCA interaction, sanctions and roadmap to the 2027 filing.
Expert note: This article was written by our chartered accountancy firm. Information is current as of 2026. For a personalised review of your situation, contact us.
Updated on 13 May 2026.
1 January 2026 marked the entry into force of France's transposition of EU Directive 2023/2226 (DAC 8) — a paradigm shift for the French crypto market. From now on, Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) established in or operating in France must identify, collect and annually transmit to the DGFiP the full record of crypto operations carried out by their EU-resident users.
Codified in Articles 1649 AC bis through 1649 AC sexies of the French Tax Code (CGI) by Decrees no. 2025-1276 and 2025-1277 of 19 December 2025, DAC 8 is part of a global convergence (OECD's CARF) that now makes it almost impossible to hide a crypto portfolio. For CASPs, it is a major operational project; for corporate holders and exposed holdings, it is an additional layer of transparency to anticipate.
This pillar guide sets out the exact scope, the interplay with MiCA (and the end of the transitional PSAN regime on 1 July 2026), the reporting calendar, the sanctions and the operational checklist for the first filing in 2027.
Executive summary#
- Legal framework: EU Directive 2023/2226 (DAC 8), transposed by Decrees no. 2025-1276 and 2025-1277 of 19 December 2025, codified in CGI Articles 1649 AC bis to sexies.
- Scope: any MiCA-defined CASP operating in France or with EU-resident users.
- Effective date: operations from 1 January 2026 — first return due by 31 January 2027.
- MiCA interplay: the PSAN transitional regime ends on 1 July 2026. No MiCA CASP license = exit from the French market.
- Penalties: €200 per missing report per user, €1,500 per missing KYC, possible withdrawal of MiCA authorization.
1. What is DAC 8 and who is affected?#
The European framework#
EU Directive 2023/2226 of 17 October 2023 (DAC 8) amends Directive 2011/16/EU on administrative cooperation in tax matters. It extends the automatic exchange of information to crypto-asset transactions, aligning the EU with the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) published on 8 June 2023.
The political objective: end the asymmetry between traditional financial assets (already covered by CRS and FATCA) and crypto-assets, where national tax authorities lost visibility as soon as users dealt with non-resident actors.
French transposition#
France transposed DAC 8 through two decrees published in the JORF on 21 December 2025:
- Decree no. 2025-1276 — reporting and due diligence obligations on CASPs (CGI Articles 1649 AC bis to sexies).
- Decree no. 2025-1277 — update of the Common Reporting Standard to incorporate DAC 8 changes.
The obligations apply to operations from 1 January 2026 onwards, with the first CASP return to the DGFiP due by 31 January 2027.
Who is a CASP under MiCA?#
The term CASP (Crypto-Asset Service Provider) from EU Regulation MiCA (2023/1114) covers any entity providing on a professional basis one or more of:
- custody and administration of crypto-assets on behalf of third parties;
- operation of a crypto-asset trading platform;
- exchange of crypto-assets for funds or other crypto-assets;
- order execution, placement, reception and transmission of orders;
- investment advice and portfolio management on crypto-assets;
- transfer services.
Our expert view#
The classic trap: assuming DAC 8 only concerns the big exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken). False. A niche French CASP — a real-estate tokenization boutique, an NFT marketplace, a family-office custodian — is fully within scope as soon as it provides a remunerated service on crypto-assets to an EU resident. And the PSAN registration obtained under the PACTE law is no longer enough: a switch to a MiCA CASP authorization before 1 July 2026 is mandatory, otherwise the activity becomes illegal AND the DAC 8 obligations remain without the authorization to fulfil them. We are this year supporting several historical PSAN platforms through this dual transition — the runway is tight.
2. Data to be reported under DPI 2.0#
For each reportable user, the CASP must annually transmit to the DGFiP:
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Individual user identification | First and last name, date and place of birth, main address, country of tax residence, TIN (French tax reference or foreign equivalent) |
| Legal entity identification | Name, registered office, country of tax residence, TIN, indication whether it is a passive non-financial entity with controlling person (look-through) |
| Transaction data | For each crypto-asset: operation type (buy, sell, swap, transfer), date, gross EUR amount (and crypto amount), counterparty, fees |
| Balances (where applicable) | Balance per crypto-asset as of 31 December |
| Self-certification | Signed declaration from the user attesting residence and TIN |
Reportable operations include: sales, crypto-to-crypto swaps, wallet-to-wallet transfers, staking, airdrops, payment of salaries/invoices in crypto as long as they flow through the CASP.
3. MiCA / DAC 8 / CARF interplay — 2026 transition calendar#
Three frameworks intersect in 2026:
| Framework | Nature | Application |
|---|---|---|
| MiCA (EU Reg 2023/1114) | Prudential — authorization | CASP applicable since 30/12/2024; PSAN transition ends 1 July 2026 |
| DAC 8 (EU Dir 2023/2226) | Tax — EU reporting | Operations from 01/01/2026; first return 31/01/2027 |
| OECD CARF | Tax — global exchange | First exchange between adhering jurisdictions expected in 2027 |
Operational impact: a French CASP has 7 weeks (between 13 May 2026 and 1 July 2026) to complete its PSAN → MiCA CASP transition if not already done. Beyond that, the activity becomes illegal and the AMF can order immediate cessation, with an administrative fine.
4. Worked example — French NFT marketplace with 1,200 users#
Profile: Paris-based NFT marketplace, PSAN-registered since 2023, 1,200 active users (80% French residents, 15% EU, 5% non-EU), €4M in commissions in 2026.
Estimated annual compliance cost#
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| PSAN → MiCA CASP transition (prudential audit, capital, governance) | €80,000 – €150,000 |
| KYC upgrade for DAC 8 (self-certification, TIN check, look-through) | €40,000 – €80,000 |
| DAC 8 reporting platform (CRS-rev XML, aggregation, controls) | €25,000 – €60,000 |
| DAC 8 officer and ongoing training | €35,000 – €60,000 |
| Total | €180,000 – €350,000 |
For a €4M-revenue marketplace, compliance represents 5–9% of revenue. Significant but unavoidable.
5. Sanctions and the underestimated risk#
Financial penalties (CGI Articles 1736 and 1729)#
| Breach | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Total failure to file annual return | €200 per missing user, capped per period |
| Missing reinforced KYC due diligence | €1,500 per user, capped |
| False or incomplete data | Proportional fine + interest |
| Repeated or serious breach | Possible withdrawal of MiCA authorization by AMF |
The underestimated risk#
The most costly risk is not the DGFiP fine — it is the AMF's withdrawal of MiCA authorization for repeated DAC 8 breaches. A CASP that loses MiCA authorization loses the right to operate across the whole EU (reverse passporting). For a French tech platform aiming at the European market, this is commercial death. DAC 8 compliance is therefore not negotiable on cost grounds — it is existential.
6. Director decisions before publication#
- Eligibility diagnosis: is my company a CASP under MiCA? (test: remunerated service on crypto-asset to a third party)
- MiCA status: am I a PSAN or already a MiCA CASP? If only PSAN, switch plan before 1 July 2026.
- Reinforced KYC: have all users signed a self-certification with TIN? If not, immediate collection campaign.
- Technical infrastructure: do I have a tool able to export my 2026 operations in CRS-rev XML by January 2027?
- DAC 8 officer: who is appointed internally? What process for a DGFiP request?
- CARF coordination: for non-EU users, check whether the jurisdiction adheres to OECD CARF.
7. 2026 watchpoints#
- 1 July 2026: end of the PSAN transitional regime — mandatory switch to MiCA CASP to continue operating.
- 31 December 2026: close of the first DAC 8 reporting year.
- 31 January 2027: first DPI annual return of CASPs to the DGFiP.
- Summer 2027: pre-fill of individual income tax returns with crypto data transmitted by CASPs.
- DAC 7 articulation: if the platform combines classic marketplace + crypto (NFT), dual reporting obligation (DAC 7 + DAC 8). See our DAC 7 guide.
- Tax audits: the DGFiP will systematically cross-check CASP returns against individual income tax returns and corporate tax filings. Omissions will be detected automatically.
Closing thoughts#
DAC 8 puts an end to the French crypto grey zone. For CASPs, it is a prudential AND tax obligation, doubly constraining. For corporate holders and exposed holdings, it is new visibility for the DGFiP on their crypto positions. The operational window — MiCA switch + reinforced KYC + DAC 8 infrastructure — is closing fast.
Our firm supports CASPs, patrimonial holdings and corporate holders on MiCA/DAC 8 compliance audits, reinforced KYC implementation and preparation of the first 2027 return. Contact our experts.
Frequently asked questions
Mon entreprise détient des USDC en trésorerie — DAC 8 me concerne directement ?
Non, pas en tant que détenteur. DAC 8 vise les prestataires de services sur cryptoactifs (CASP) qui réalisent des opérations pour le compte de tiers. Si votre entreprise détient des USDC sur un wallet auto-hébergé ou via un CASP, c'est le CASP qui déclarera vos opérations à la DGFiP — pas vous. En revanche, votre entreprise reste tenue de comptabiliser ces actifs (règlement ANC 2020-05) et de déclarer les plus-values éventuelles (article 150 VH bis ou IS selon l'activité). Le contrôle DGFiP croisera vos déclarations avec les données transmises par le CASP.
Quelle est la différence entre l'enregistrement MiCA (CASP) et l'obligation DAC 8 ?
MiCA (règlement UE 2023/1114) est le cadre prudentiel : pour fournir des services sur cryptoactifs en France après le 1er juillet 2026, un acteur doit être agréé CASP par l'AMF. DAC 8 (directive UE 2023/2226, transposée par décret n° 2025-1276 du 19 décembre 2025) est l'obligation fiscale : ce même CASP doit déclarer annuellement à la DGFiP les opérations de ses utilisateurs résidents UE. Les deux dispositifs sont indépendants mais conjoints : pas d'enregistrement MiCA = pas d'activité légale ; activité MiCA = obligation DAC 8 automatique.
Quelles sont les premières échéances déclaratives DAC 8 ?
Les articles 1649 AC bis à 1649 AC sexies du CGI s'appliquent aux opérations réalisées à compter du 1er janvier 2026. La première déclaration annuelle des CASP à la DGFiP portera donc sur l'année 2026 et sera due au plus tard le 31 janvier 2027, via le service en ligne dédié sur impots.gouv.fr. Le format technique sera publié au cours du second semestre 2026 (schéma XML aligné CRS révisé). Pour les utilisateurs particuliers et entreprises, l'impact se traduira dès l'été 2027 par un pré-remplissage de la déclaration d'impôts avec les revenus cryptoactifs transmis par le CASP — analogue au pré-remplissage des dividendes.
Mon entreprise utilise un CASP basé aux Émirats arabes unis — la DGFiP recevra-t-elle quand même mes données ?
Cela dépend de l'existence d'un accord d'échange automatique entre les EAU et la France. Au 13 mai 2026, les EAU adhèrent au Cadre OCDE CARF (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework) qui converge avec DAC 8. Si les EAU ont signé l'accord multilatéral CARF entré en vigueur, vos données seront transmises à la DGFiP par voie OCDE. Sinon, la non-déclaration en France des opérations effectuées via un CASP étranger reste sanctionnable (CGI art. 1736 et 1727), avec le risque de qualification de comptes non déclarés à l'étranger (article 1649 A CGI, amende 1 500 € par compte ou 10 000 € si ETNC).
Comment se prépare un CASP français à sa première déclaration DAC 8 en 2027 ?
Quatre chantiers à mener dès 2026 : (1) KYC renforcé — collecter NIF, résidence fiscale et autocertification CRS de chaque utilisateur ; (2) Infrastructure technique — exporter les opérations en format XML CRS-rev / DPI 2.0 ; (3) Réconciliation — agréger transactions par utilisateur par exercice, en distinguant cessions, échanges crypto-crypto, staking, airdrops ; (4) Gouvernance — désigner un référent DAC 8 et formaliser le processus interne. Sanctions : 200 € par déclaration manquante par utilisateur (plafonnée), 1 500 € par défaut de KYC renforcé, et — pour les manquements graves — possibilité de retrait de l'agrément MiCA par l'AMF.
Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Regulated French accounting and audit firm based in Paris 8, built to support companies across France with a digital and decision-oriented approach.
Sources
Official and operational sources cited for this page.
- Légifrance — Décret n° 2025-1276 du 19 décembre 2025 (obligations PSAN/CASP, articles 1649 AC bis à sexies CGI)
- Légifrance — Décret n° 2025-1277 du 19 décembre 2025 (norme commune de déclaration révisée)
- AMF — Régulation MiCA et transition PSAN/CASP (fin du transitoire 1er juillet 2026)
- Légifrance — Ordonnance n° 2024-936 du 15 octobre 2024 relative aux marchés de crypto-actifs
- Légifrance — CGI article 150 VH bis (régime fiscal cessions cryptoactifs)
This topic is part of our service Tax accountant in Paris | CIT, VAT & tax audits
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