Key Highlights
- •Brazil has officially adopted the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), replacing its previous crypto reporting system established in 2019.
- •Foreign cryptocurrency exchanges that serve Brazilian users are now required to report their activities through a new system called DeCripto.
- •These stricter Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) standards are positioning Brazil as a significant regulatory benchmark within the Latin American region.
Brazil’s Receita Federal, the federal revenue service, has implemented a comprehensive update to its cryptocurrency disclosure regime by adopting the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). This change is formalized under Normative Instruction 2.291/2025.
This significant update effectively replaces the existing rules from 2019 and integrates Brazil into a global framework for the automatic exchange of information. The primary objective of this international system is to combat tax evasion, money laundering, and the financing of criminal activities. Brazilian officials have stated that this move enhances coordination with more than 70 jurisdictions that have committed to implementing the CARF standards.
DeCripto: The New Reporting System Introduced
A pivotal component of this regulatory update is DeCripto, a newly designed reporting tool that will become mandatory for use starting in July 2026. Domestic cryptocurrency exchanges will continue their practice of monthly submissions. Individuals will also still be required to report their crypto transactions, particularly when engaging with platforms outside of Brazil. The threshold for individual reporting has been slightly adjusted, now set at R$35,000.
The most substantial change introduced by this instruction targets foreign cryptocurrency operators. Any offshore exchange that provides services to Brazilian users, regardless of whether this is facilitated through payment methods like Pix, local payment partners, the use of .br domain names, or targeted advertising aimed at Brazilians, will be obligated to report user activity directly to the Receita Federal.
The new instruction formally integrates CARF-driven AML and KYC procedures. This mandates that service providers must accurately identify their users, verify the identities of counterparties involved in transactions, and meticulously track cross-border cryptocurrency transfers. This information must be reported in a standardized format that is compatible with international data sharing protocols. Crypto Accountant @declarandobtc shared insights on X:
The Receita Federal has indicated that these measures are designed to address and close long-standing gaps in regulatory oversight and visibility, particularly concerning cryptocurrency activities that are channeled through foreign platforms.
Part of Brazil’s Broader Regulatory Pivot
This recent update to crypto reporting rules follows closely on the heels of new regulations announced by Brazil's central bank. These new rules classify crypto-fiat and stablecoin transactions as foreign-exchange operations. Furthermore, they extend banking-style governance and capital requirements to cryptocurrency exchanges operating within the country.
Taken together, these regulatory actions signify Brazil's strategic move towards the full financial integration of cryptocurrency markets. Simultaneously, the country is intensifying its surveillance and oversight of cross-border financial activities related to digital assets.
Latin America Watches the Region’s Largest Market
Brazil has emerged as the dominant cryptocurrency hub in Latin America, processing a significant volume of on-chain activity exceeding R$1.7 trillion between mid-2024 and mid-2025. As Brazil actively adopts the OECD standard and prepares for the anticipated launch of its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), known as Drex, in 2026, neighboring countries' regulatory bodies are expected to closely monitor these developments and potentially follow suit.
While the newly implemented rules do not alter the existing tax treatment of cryptocurrency gains within Brazil, they substantially enhance the Receita Federal's ability to gain greater visibility into how digital assets are transacted, both domestically and internationally.