CAP, DAC8 and foreign exchanges: what should you already be doing today?

Last updated: March 2026 · Reading time: 5 minutes

CAP, DAC8, foreign accounts, reporting obligations… As a Belgian crypto investor you have surely come across these terms. But what is the difference? And what do you need to do right now if you have an account with Kraken, Binance, Coinbase or Bitvavo? In this article we lay everything out clearly side by side, including a practical checklist you can work through today.

🔍 The short version (TL;DR)

• 📋 CAP (Central Point of Contact) = your obligation to report foreign accounts to the National Bank
• 🔄 DAC8 = the obligation of the exchange to automatically report your transactions to tax authorities
• ⚠️ Both apply when you use a foreign exchange, and they complement each other
• 🏦 Binance (France), Kraken (Ireland), Coinbase (Luxembourg), Bitvavo (Netherlands) = all foreign
• 📅 DAC8 has been in force since 1 January 2026; the first data exchange is expected in September 2027
• ✅ Action: register your accounts with the CAP and make sure your tax return is correct

💡 CAP and DAC8: the same thing or not?

Short answer: no. CAP and DAC8 are two separate obligations that exist alongside each other. The difference lies in who has to report and what exactly gets reported.

Important: the tax authority can cross-reference both sources. If you have not filed a CAP declaration but the exchange does report your data via DAC8, that stands out. The reverse is true too: a CAP registration without a matching tax return raises questions.

Want to know more about the European directive? Read our full DAC8 explainer.

🧾 Which exchanges do you have to report to the CAP?

Every account with a foreign financial institution must be reported, including crypto exchanges. Below are the four most popular platforms among Belgian users, with the details you will need:

Tip: use your User ID or Account ID as the account number on the CAP declaration. For a step-by-step explanation per platform, check out our guides for Binance, Kraken and Bitvavo.

⚙️ What does DAC8 mean for you in practice?

Since 1 January 2026, crypto exchanges in the EU are required to collect data on their users and report it to tax authorities. This happens automatically: you do not have to do anything yourself. You can find a detailed status update in our DAC8 update 2026.

What the exchange reports:

• Your identity (name, address, tax number)
• All transactions: fiat-to-crypto, crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto
• Balances and valuations at year-end

When? The first data exchange is expected in September 2027, covering tax year 2026.

What does this mean in practice? The Belgian tax authority will be able to compare your tax return with the data that comes directly from the exchange. Discrepancies such as missing capital gains or forgotten staking income can trigger an audit.

Belgium was, by the way, one of the EU member states that missed the DAC8 deadline. There is an ongoing European infringement procedure against Belgium for the late transposition of DAC8, but that does not change the obligation of the exchanges themselves: they are already reporting.

Note: DAC8 applies to custodial platforms. Hardware wallets (Ledger, Trezor) and decentralized exchanges (Uniswap, Aave) are not covered.

📅 CAP expansion: crypto accounts from 1 December 2026

In practice, foreign exchange accounts already have to be reported to the CAP today. The legislation on foreign accounts (art. 307 WIB 92) is broad enough. But from 1 December 2026, crypto accounts will be explicitly included in the CAP rules.

Any remaining doubt disappears: crypto exchanges then formally fall under the reporting obligation. If you are already registered, you do not need to do anything extra. If you are not: do it now.

✅ Practical checklist: what do you need to do now?

1. Make a list of all your exchange accounts
   Also think of accounts you no longer use actively or that hold a balance of €0. As long as the account exists, you have to report it.
2. Register every exchange with the CAP
   Go to cappcc.nbb.be, log in with your eID or itsme, and add each exchange using the details from the table above. You will find detailed instructions in our Binance CAP guide, Kraken CAP guide or Bitvavo CAP guide.
3. Mention your foreign accounts in your tax return
   In Vak XIII, section A you confirm, per account, the country and whether you have reported it to the CAP. You do not have to enter any balance or amounts here.
4. Export your full transaction history
   Download your trade history, staking rewards and withdrawals from every exchange. Do this now, do not wait until the deadline.
5. Calculate your taxable result
   Import your transactions into Cryptotax. The tool automatically calculates your capital gains according to the Belgian rules (weighted average for pre-2026 holdings, chronological FIFO accounting afterwards) and generates a tax report.
6. Keep your supporting documents
   Keep exchange exports, transaction overviews and tax reports for at least 7 years. In the event of an audit you must be able to present everything.

❓ Frequently asked questions

If exchanges will soon report automatically via DAC8, do I still have to file a return myself?
Yes, absolutely. DAC8 does not replace any obligation. You still have to register your accounts with the CAP, mention them in your tax return (Vak XIII), and declare your capital gains and income correctly. DAC8 gives the tax authority an additional control instrument.

I only use Bitvavo: is that foreign too?
Yes. Bitvavo is a Dutch company, registered in Amsterdam. For Belgian CAP legislation, the Netherlands counts as a foreign country.

I have never declared my exchange account. What now?
Report it to the CAP as soon as possible. With voluntary regularization, the penalties are generally milder than when the tax authority discovers it itself, especially now that DAC8 is active. More about when you have to declare crypto.

Do I also have to report my hardware wallet to the CAP?
No. The CAP is intended for accounts with foreign financial institutions. A hardware wallet (Ledger, Trezor) is a personal device, not an account with an institution.

What if I use several exchanges?
Each exchange is a separate foreign account. You register each one individually with the CAP and mention each one in your tax return.

How does the tax authority know that I use a foreign exchange?
Through three channels: (1) CAP registrations, (2) DAC8 reporting by the exchange itself, and (3) information exchange between European tax authorities. With DAC8, that exchange becomes automatic: the tax authority no longer has to actively go looking.

📢 And the capital gains tax?

The capital gains tax on crypto was approved by the Chamber of Representatives on 3 April 2026 and published in the Belgian Official Gazette on 21 April 2026, with retroactive application from 1 January 2026. Cryptotax is fully adapted to the new legislation, including the step-up rule and the lot calculations.

Your CAP registration and an accurate transaction history are more necessary than ever. Read more on our pages about the capital gains tax and crypto taxes in 2026.

🚀 Get started

The CAP declaration is step one. But to fill in your tax return correctly, you also have to calculate your capital gains and income. Cryptotax automatically imports your transactions from Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, Bitvavo and on-chain wallets, and calculates your taxes according to the Belgian rules.

Try Cryptotax for free and get your crypto administration in order before the next deadline.

Sources:

• CAP portal of the National Bank of Belgium
• FPS Finance - Foreign accounts
• European Commission - DAC8

Disclaimer: This article is informational, not individual tax advice. For specific cases: consult a recognized Belgian tax adviser or request a ruling from the Office for Advance Tax Rulings (Dienst Voorafgaande Beslissingen).