What is CARF, the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework?

CARF is the OECD's system for making crypto holdings visible to tax authorities across borders. Under it, exchanges, brokers and other crypto service providers identify their customers, record their transactions and report them to the tax authority where the provider is based. That authority then passes the information to the countries where the customers are tax residents.

How does CARF work?

CARF follows the model of the Common Reporting Standard, which already lets countries swap data on foreign bank accounts. CoinDesk reported in November 2023 that 48 countries had committed to the framework and aimed to begin exchanges by 2027, subject to each country passing its own law. Before CARF, crypto platforms generally did not share taxpayer information with authorities in other countries.

Once a country's law is in force, providers collect data for a calendar year and report it the following year. In the UK, for example, the rules took effect on January 1, 2026, and major exchanges must collect details including purchase prices, disposal values, gains and customers' tax residency, Crowdfund Insider reported. Liechtenstein's CARF law also took effect on January 1, 2026, with 2026 as the first reportable year and the first cross-border exchange in 2027, according to Chambers and Partners.

Which countries have signed up to CARF?

As of January 2026, 48 jurisdictions had committed to a first wave of exchanges by 2027, and the OECD's Global Forum said 27 more planned to start by 2028. The United States is expected to begin participating in 2029. The list keeps growing, and the EU's own version is covered in what DAC8 is.

What does CARF mean for crypto users?

For users of platforms in participating countries, CARF means their tax authority is likely to receive information about their crypto activity, including from providers abroad. It does not change how crypto is taxed, which still depends on each country's law, as summarized in crypto tax around the world. Platforms typically ask for tax residency details and a tax identification number so they can report correctly.

Is CARF the same as DAC8?

They are closely linked but not identical. CARF is a global standard each country adopts voluntarily. DAC8 is binding EU law that applies to all member states, builds on CARF and adds some items of its own. US users also have domestic forms, described in crypto tax forms.

Rules differ by country and change often. Check the tax authority or a qualified professional for your own situation.