The declaration of cryptocurrencies and foreign assets has become a major issue for Swiss taxpayers. The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) now has powerful tools to detect undeclared assets, thanks to the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) with over 100 countries.
Cryptocurrencies -- Declaration rules: all cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, tokens) must be declared as wealth assets at their value on December 31, using the rate published by the FTA. If the FTA does not publish a rate for a specific token, the value on the reference exchange platform applies.
Tax regime for crypto gains: for private investors, capital gains are tax-exempt (as with stocks). For professional traders, gains are taxed as self-employment income with AHV/AVS contributions. The criteria for professional qualification include high volume, transaction frequency, use of leverage, and debt financing.
Taxable crypto income (even for private investors): staking rewards are taxable as wealth income, mining constitutes self-employment income, lending (DeFi) generates taxable wealth income, airdrops are taxable as income at the value upon receipt, and payments in crypto constitute taxable employment income.
Foreign assets: all bank accounts, securities portfolios, life insurance policies, and pension assets held abroad must be declared as wealth and income. The AEOI allows Swiss tax authorities to verify the compliance of declarations against information transmitted by foreign financial institutions.
Our experts precisely calculate the value of your crypto portfolio, identify taxable income, and ensure your declaration is complete and compliant with FTA requirements.