Lido liquid staking tax for your Belgian return
Cryptotax automatically detects your Lido stETH rebasing rewards, wstETH wrapping transactions and staking yields. Get a clear overview of taxable staking income for the Belgian tax authorities.
Connect your walletWhat is Lido and liquid staking?
Lido is the largest liquid staking protocol on Ethereum with more than $25 billion in staked ETH. Instead of locking your ETH for traditional staking, you receive a liquid token you can use in DeFi while continuing to earn staking rewards.
stETH (Staked Ether)
When you deposit ETH with Lido, you receive stETH, a rebasing token whose balance increases daily as staking rewards arrive. Your balance grows automatically without any claiming required, generating fiscally relevant income.
wstETH (Wrapped stETH)
wstETH is a wrapped version of stETH that does not rebase but increases in value instead. This makes it easier to use in DeFi protocols. The wrapping itself is not a taxable event, but the underlying yield remains taxable.
Staking Rewards
Lido validators earn approximately 3-4% APY in ETH staking rewards. These are distributed daily to stETH holders via the rebasing mechanism. In Belgium these rewards are treated as movable income.
stETH vs wstETH: tax differences
The difference between stETH and wstETH has important tax implications. Understand which token you use before preparing your return.
| Property | stETH (Rebasing) | wstETH (Wrapped) |
|---|---|---|
| Balance changes | Yes, increases daily | No, stays constant |
| Price per token | 1:1 with ETH | Rises relative to stETH |
| Yield visibility | Daily balance increase | Visible on unwrap |
| Tax treatment | Daily income (30%) | Income on unwrap |
| DeFi compatibility | Limited by rebasing | Widely supported |
What does Cryptotax support for Lido?
Our platform fetches blockchain data, identifies Lido-specific actions and translates everything into clear tax events for your Belgian return.
stETH Rebasing Tracking
- Automatic detection of daily balance changes
- Calculation of staking rewards per day
- EUR valuation at the moment of receipt
- Cumulative reporting per tax year
wstETH Wrapping Detection
- Recognition of wrap/unwrap transactions
- Cost basis tracking through wrapping
- Yield calculation on unwrapping
- No taxable event on wrap
DeFi Integrations
- stETH/wstETH in Aave as collateral
- Curve stETH/ETH pool participation
- Uniswap liquidity provisioning
- Cross-protocol yield aggregation
Multi-chain Support
- Ethereum mainnet (primary)
- wstETH on Arbitrum
- wstETH on Base
- Bridge transactions detected
How does Cryptotax treat your Lido transactions for tax?
Our tax engine translates Lido liquid staking activity into recognisable categories for the Belgian return. The overview below shows what we prepare automatically.
Key tax considerations
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Staking rewards as movable income.
Daily stETH rebasing rewards are recorded as movable income. We calculate the EUR value per day and sum it into an annual amount for Vak VII of the Belgian return. The standard rate is 30% withholding tax on movable income.
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Depositing ETH into stETH is not a taxable event.
Depositing ETH with Lido and receiving stETH is treated as a 1:1 conversion with no realisation of a capital gain. The original cost basis of your ETH carries over to your stETH.
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Wrapping stETH to wstETH is tax-neutral.
Wrapping stETH to wstETH and back is not a taxable event. The cost basis is carried forward. On unwrapping, however, the accumulated yield becomes visible and taxable.
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Selling or swapping stETH/wstETH = capital gain.
When you sell stETH or wstETH for EUR, ETH or other crypto, you realise a capital gain. This is calculated as the sale price minus the cost basis. Depending on your investor profile this may be taxable as miscellaneous income (33%).
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wstETH as collateral in DeFi.
Using wstETH as collateral in Aave or other lending protocols is not a taxable event. A taxable event only arises on liquidation or sale of the collateral.
This overview is informational. For personal tax planning we recommend professional advice.
Frequently asked questions about Lido tax
Do I need to track stETH rebasing every day?
Technically the daily balance changes are taxable income. Cryptotax fully automates this by scanning your wallet and detecting and valuing all rebasing events in EUR.
Is liquid staking legal in Belgium?
Yes, liquid staking via Lido is entirely legal in Belgium. The tax treatment falls under existing rules for movable income (staking rewards) and capital gains (sale). Make sure you declare all income correctly.
How do I track wstETH yield?
wstETH accumulates yield by increasing in value relative to stETH rather than rebasing. Cryptotax calculates the implicit yield when you unwrap or sell, so you always know how much taxable income there is.
What if I bridge stETH to an L2?
Bridging wstETH to Arbitrum or Base is not a taxable event. Cryptotax detects bridge transactions and keeps the cost basis intact across different chains.
Belgian crypto tax 2026
Import your Lido activity today
Connect your Ethereum wallet, let our engine pull in all stETH and wstETH transactions and receive a report ready for your Belgian return. Automatic rebasing tracking, no manual calculations needed.
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