Polish citizens with undeclared crypto earnings may face a punitive tax rate of up to 75%

Earlier this month, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a new law incorporating the EU DAC8 directive into national legislation. Investors who fail to report cryptocurrency gains in accordance with regulations will face a punitive tax rate of up to 75%. The DAC8 directive requires platforms such as exchanges, brokers, and wallet service providers to collect user and transaction data and report it to tax authorities, with tax departments in each member state automatically sharing information. The Polish National Tax Administration (KAS) will thereby gain access to the holdings and transaction details of domestic cryptocurrency investors. It is estimated that around 3 million people in Poland hold cryptocurrencies, but only about 1% of investors pay taxes in accordance with the law. According to current regulations, cryptocurrency trading income in 2025 must be declared via the PIT-38 form by April 30, 2026, and is subject to a 19% capital gains tax rate; mining and staking rewards are tax-exempt when received, but must be taxed when converted to fiat currency.