EU crypto reporting goes live and Netherlands immediately votes on 36% Bitcoin tax – even if you don’t sell

The Dutch House of Representatives approved an overhaul to the Box 3 tax regime, which, if passed by the Senate and implemented by January 1, 2028, will tax liquid assets like Bitcoin based on annual price changes (marked-to-market) at a flat 36%, even if the assets are not sold. This shifts taxation from a sale event to a holding event, creating potential annual cash-flow problems for Dutch investors due to Bitcoin's volatility. While mitigation measures like a tax-free threshold exist, industry experts like Rickey Gevers and Balaji Srinivasan warn this could cause market instability through forced selling spirals. This move is part of a broader European trend toward taxing unrealized gains, which critics argue, alongside rising EU reporting requirements (DAC8), signals a dangerous path toward confiscation and necessitates holding assets in self-custody outside restrictive jurisdictions.

(Source：CryptoSlate)