Argentina classifies cryptocurrencies as intangible assets under its general tax laws, notably the Income Tax Law and Personal Property Tax Law, with new definitions introduced by Law No. 27.739 in March 2024. The country has established a regulated framework for crypto, requiring Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to register with the Comisión Nacional de Valores (CNV) and adhere to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules enforced by the Unidad de Información Financiera (UIF). The Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) is Argentina's primary tax authority, governing crypto taxation under the existing legal framework. For individual investors, capital gains from selling cryptocurrencies are taxed. The rate is 5% if the sale is denominated in Argentine pesos, or 15% if denominated in foreign currency, such as US dollars. There is no distinction between short-term and long-term holdings, no reduced rates or exemptions apply for holding crypto for extended periods. When crypto is received as income, it is treated as ordinary income and taxed at 5-15% depending on the currency of receipt. Converting crypto to fiat currency or swapping one cryptocurrency for another are both considered taxable events, triggering capital gains. Notably, crypto transactions between individuals or on exchanges are exempt from Value Added Tax (IVA). Businesses involved in crypto activities are subject to a progressive corporate tax rate of 25-35%. Specific crypto activities also have tax implications. Staking rewards are taxed as ordinary income at 5-15% upon receipt. Mining operations are fully taxable as business income, though detailed guidance on expense deductions remains unclear. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) yields are generally considered taxable as income or capital gains, but dedicated regulatory guidance is absent. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are treated as intangible assets, with gains subject to capital gains rules, also lacking specific NFT tax code. Argentina is currently implementing a "Blanqueo" amnesty program, allowing individuals to regularize previously undeclared crypto assets. This program offers a 5-15% tax rate on undeclared assets, with the first $100,000 potentially tax-free if banked by December 2025 under specified conditions. The country is also enhancing its compliance with the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF).
Tax Rates
| Effective individual rate | 5 |
| Capital gains tax | 5% (pesos) / 15% (foreign currency), no short/long-term differentiation |
| Income tax on crypto | 5-15% depending on currency of receipt, treated as ordinary income |
| Corporate tax | 25-35% progressive rate on business crypto activities |
| VAT | Exempt from IVA on peer-to-peer and exchange transactions |
Activity Taxes
| Staking | Taxed as ordinary income at 5-15% upon reward receipt |
| Mining | Fully taxable as business income, no specific expense deduction guidance |
| DeFi | Taxable as income or capital gains, lacks dedicated regulatory guidance |
| NFTs | Taxed as intangible assets under capital gains rules, no specific NFT code |
Taxable Events
| Crypto → Fiat | Taxable capital gains event on conversion, gain = sale price minus cost basis |
| Crypto → Crypto | Taxable event, treated as disposition triggering capital gains tax |
Holding Period
| Holding period benefit | None, no reduced rates or exemptions for long-term holding |
Sources