Colombia Ends Crypto Anonymity: New Tax Rules Force Full Transparency by 2027

Colombia is drawing a clear line under how cryptocurrencies will be treated going forward. In a decisive regulatory shift, the government has ordered crypto exchanges and service providers to collect and report detailed user data, signaling the end of informal oversight and the start of full tax transparency for digital assets.

The move places Bitcoin, stablecoins, and other cryptocurrencies squarely inside Colombia’s national tax framework and reflects a broader global trend toward tighter crypto reporting standards.

The new rules were formalized under Resolution 000240, issued by the Directorate of National Tax and Customs (DIAN) in late December 2025. Through this resolution, Colombia has officially adopted the OECD’s Cryptoasset Reporting Framework (CARF), aligning its approach with international tax transparency norms.

Under the regulation, crypto exchanges, intermediaries, and service providers operating in Colombia—or serving Colombian residents from abroad—must conduct enhanced due diligence and automatically share user and transaction data with tax authorities. This includes data eligible for international information exchange agreements.

While the resolution technically came into effect in late 2025, the first full observation year will be 2026, with the initial nationwide reporting deadline set for May 2027.

Starting with activity carried out in 2026, platforms will be required to submit comprehensive reports covering all crypto transactions by Colombian users. This includes:

From DIAN’s perspective, every crypto transaction executed by Colombian residents during the year must be logged and prepared for electronic submission using standardized XML formats.

Importantly, the reporting obligation applies not only to domestic platforms but also to foreign exchanges serving Colombian users, even if they do not hold a local crypto license.

One provision likely to attract close attention from retail and institutional users alike is the monitoring of large transfers. Transactions exceeding $50,000 will automatically trigger alerts to DIAN.

Even below that threshold, exchanges must still report users’ tax residence details and net balances, excluding fees and commissions. Authorities have made it clear that crypto activity will no longer be treated as opaque or informal within the tax system.

Failure to comply carries serious consequences. Companies that submit incomplete, incorrect, or missing reports could face fines of up to 1% of the value of unreported transactions, making compliance a non-negotiable cost of doing business.

For users, the most immediate impact is the erosion of practical anonymity. While Colombians were already required to declare crypto holdings for income and wealth tax purposes, enforcement previously relied heavily on self-reporting.

Under the new system, DIAN will be able to cross-check exchange data against individual tax filings, increasing scrutiny of capital gains, transaction histories, and the origin of funds.

Legal experts warn that the tight reporting calendar leaves little room for error, both for platforms and for users who may have underreported activity in the past.

The regulatory crackdown comes at a time when crypto adoption in Colombia is surging. According to Chainalysis data published in October, the country recorded $44.2 billion in crypto transaction volume between July 2024 and June 2025, ranking fifth in Latin America.

Despite lacking a comprehensive crypto licensing regime and still classifying digital assets as intangible property rather than legal tender, Colombia has already enforced tax, anti-money laundering, and know-your-customer rules on exchanges. The new reporting framework significantly expands that oversight.

By adopting the OECD’s Cryptoasset Reporting Framework, Colombia is sending a clear message: cryptocurrencies are no longer operating in a gray zone. Transparency, traceability, and tax compliance are now central pillars of the country’s crypto policy.

As the 2026 reporting year approaches, both platforms and users will need to adapt quickly. For Colombia’s crypto market, the era of light-touch oversight is officially coming to an end.