Latvia eyes crypto tax payments in 2027 as parliament overhauls crypto taxation
Parliament passed a law taxing crypto withdrawals above deposits rather than individual trades, featuring a one-time declaration mechanism.
Latvia could allow residents to pay personal taxes with cryptocurrency as early as next year, as part of a push to attract crypto firms and investors.
The country’s Finance Ministry has agreed to the plan, though technical work with a payment provider remains, said Didzis Dejus, an adviser to the prime minister on strategic planning and the new economy.
Asked whether Latvians would be able to pay taxes in crypto during the prime minister’s term, Dejus told CoinDesk at the UN:BLOCK Fintech conference in Riga that “I believe that will take place next year.”
CoinDesk has reached out to Latvia’s Finance Ministry for comment but hasn’t heard back at the time of writing.
The move would give crypto holders a way to use their assets to meet tax bills. It also builds on plans announced in May 2025 to enable crypto tax payments and the tokenization of other assets like real estate.
“We are not afraid to be the fastest country,” Dejus said, describing efforts to attract crypto business beyond licensing.
The proposal comes as Latvia changes how it taxes crypto investments. On Oct. 15, the country’s parliament passed legislation to tax withdrawals from crypto investment accounts once they exceed the amount deposited, rather than taxing each trade.
The law also introduces a one-time declaration process. Holders can settle past tax obligations by paying 10% of their declared assets’ market value at the end of 2026. Declarations can be filed from April 1 to May 31, 2027, with the tax due by July 23.
Dejus said the measure would help people who bought crypto years ago but lack records to prove what they paid.
The payment plan’s timing could depend on the next government. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’ United List won the Oct. 3 parliamentary election, and is expected to be renominated, but still needs coalition partners.
Latvia would not be the first government to accept crypto for taxes. Colorado started allowing crypto tax payments through PayPal in 2022, with funds converted into dollars.
Dejus did not name Latvia’s payment provider or say which cryptocurrencies would qualify to pay taxes.
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Asanat Analysis — Why it matters
Latvia's shift to withdrawal-based taxation (gains only above deposits) rather than per-trade models represents a meaningful structural change in how EU member states approach crypto tax compliance. The one-time declaration mechanism likely aims to reduce administrative burden and encourage voluntary reporting, signaling that EU jurisdictions are optimizing for revenue collection over maximum friction. This contrasts sharply with the per-transaction approach many countries initially adopted, which often proved unworkable at scale.
The 2027 implementation window is notable: it gives market participants ~18 months to prepare and suggests coordination with broader EU crypto-asset regulation timelines (MiCA enforcement, tax directive harmonization). If Latvia's model proves administratively viable, it could become a template for other EU nations seeking to tax crypto without creating compliance nightmares. However, the real test is enforcement—withdrawal-based systems depend on exchange reporting, which remains fragmented across custodians and decentralized platforms.