🧾 Introduction
Since 2019, Polish tax law requires you to declare cryptocurrency income under PIT-38 — the same form used for stocks and ETFs.
If you sold or exchanged crypto for fiat (PLN, EUR, USD) or used it to buy goods/services, this counts as taxable income.
💡 When You Must Pay Tax
You must declare a crypto gain when:
- You sell crypto for fiat (e.g., PLN, EUR).
- You use crypto to buy something.
- You exchange one crypto for another (e.g., BTC → ETH).
Mining or staking income may fall under a different PIT (not PIT-38).
🧮 Example: Calculating a Crypto Gain
| Date | Transaction | Amount (BTC) | Price per BTC (EUR) | Total (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb 2024 | Buy | 0.5 | €20,000 | €10,000 |
| 1 Jun 2024 | Sell | 0.5 | €25,000 | €12,500 |
Step 1: Convert to PLN
NBP rate before each transaction:
- 31 Jan 2024: 4.35 PLN/EUR
- 31 May 2024: 4.45 PLN/EUR
| Event | EUR | Rate | PLN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase | €10,000 | 4.35 | 43,500 |
| Sale | €12,500 | 4.45 | 55,625 |
Profit = 55,625 − 43,500 = 12,125 PLN
Tax = 19% × 12,125 = 2,303.75 PLN
🧾 How to Declare in PIT-38
- Field 22: Income = 55,625 PLN
- Field 23: Costs = 43,500 PLN
- Field 26: Profit = 12,125 PLN
- Field 31: Tax = 2,304 PLN
⚠️ Common Pitfalls
- ❌ Forgetting to use NBP rate from previous working day.
- ❌ Ignoring exchange fees or platform commissions.
- ❌ Declaring "wallet-to-wallet" transfers as taxable events (not necessary).
✅ Best Practices
- Keep every transaction history (CSV from Binance/Revolut).
- Track each purchase's PLN value using historical NBP rates.
- Record trading fees in your deductible costs.
- File PIT-38 by April 30th, 2025 for 2024 income.
By following these rules, you ensure full compliance with Polish crypto tax law while avoiding unnecessary penalties.