Switzerland postpones introduction of new crypto reporting rules to 2027

Switzerland is postponing the introduction of a new international system for automatically exchanging crypto account information until 2027. The Swiss government confirmed that the rules for the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) will become law on January 1, but practical implementation will not start until at least a year later.

Switzerland is still waiting for the choice of partner countries

The delay is because Switzerland has not yet decided on which countries it wants to share data with. The responsible tax committee has temporarily stopped its discussions on this matter. Without that choice, the new reporting obligation cannot be fully implemented.

What does the CARF system entail?

The CARF is an international reporting framework developed by the OECD in 2022 to combat tax evasion with cryptocurrencies. The system works similar to existing rules for sharing information about foreign bank accounts. Tax authorities should gain better insight into crypto ownership abroad through the international exchange of crypto account information.

Adjustments to relieve companies

The Swiss government is now making several changes to national crypto legislation. These adjustments should make it easier for local crypto companies to meet the new international requirements. There will also be transitional arrangements to give companies extra time to adapt their processes.

The Swiss Federal Council previously proposed fully implementing CARF in January 2026, followed by the first data exchange in 2027. Due to the new postponement, it is no longer clear when actual international reporting will start.

Global implementation occurs at different paces

OECD documentation shows that 75 countries, including Switzerland, have committed to implementing CARF rules within two to four years. Countries such as Argentina, El Salvador, Vietnam and India have not yet joined.

Other countries are also taking steps towards international coordination. For example, the Brazilian government is investigating a tax on international crypto transactions to bring national rules in line with CARF. In the United States, the White House is currently assessing a proposal from the IRS to join the system, which should ensure stricter controls on crypto transactions by American taxpayers.