Starting January 1, 2026, new European Union tax transparency rules (known as DAC8) will come into effect. These rules are based on the OECD's global standard, the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), and require our partner to collect specific tax information from all customers who use our crypto-asset services.
Here is what this means for you:
1. New Users (Starting Jan 1, 2026)
If you apply for an account on or after January 1, 2026, you will be required to provide your Tax Residence Country(ies) and Tax Identification Number(s) (TINs) as part of the initial onboarding process.
Note: We are legally unable to process new applications without this mandatory tax information.
2. Action Required: Existing Users
If you are a pre-existing user, we are legally required to collect this same information from you.
You will be prompted to provide your missing Tax Residence Country and TIN information on or around May 4, 2026.
You must provide this information by July 31, 2026.
If the required information is not provided by July 31, 2026, we will be required to suspend all Bitcoin transactions on your account until the information is received.
What You Need to Do
Please ensure you are prepared to submit your Tax Residence Country(ies) and TIN(s) when prompted to avoid any disruption to your service. We will guide you through the process when the time comes.
Rest assured, Ligthtspark (formerly Striga, our service provider) is responsible for all reporting to the tax authorities under DAC8, and no action is required from you regarding the reporting itself. The first reportable year is 2026.