Dutch Government Plans Capital Gains Tax on Bitcoin From 2028

The Dutch government has announced plans to introduce a capital gains tax on investments, including bitcoin, starting in 2028, moving away from its current system of taxing assumed returns.

In a letter to parliament on Tuesday, the cabinet outlined the proposal, which would tax gains only when they are realized through a sale. The current Dutch system taxes wealth based on a notional annual return of 4% on assets, regardless of an investor’s actual profit or loss.

The government stated the new system aims to create a tax regime that “facilitates investment.” While most financial instruments are slated for the 2028 start date, the letter did not specify whether digital assets like bitcoin would be included then or transition in 2030 with other remaining assets.

The move aligns with broader EU efforts to increase tax transparency for crypto assets, following the implementation of the DAC8 directive which mandates that exchanges report user transaction data to authorities.