Cryptocurrency in Brazil
Regulation is being revised. We check this page monthly, but before a large operation confirm with the primary source — something may have changed this week.
In brief
- Jurisdiction: Federative Republic of Brazil
- Framework law: Law No. 14,478 of 21 December 2022 (the “legal framework for virtual assets”), in force since 20 June 2023
- Market regulator: the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil) — under Decree No. 11,563 of 13 June 2023; since February 2026 its rules for authorizing providers apply (with a transition period)
- Virtual assets that are securities: remain under the CVM (the securities commission)
- Bitcoin and similar: virtual assets; not legal tender and not official currency
- Where to buy: through virtual asset service providers authorized by the Central Bank or lawfully operating under the provided transition regime
- Taxes: crypto is declared in the annual return (IRPF); selling or otherwise disposing of the asset at a gain may be taxed; crypto held abroad follows a separate regime (Law No. 14,754/2023)
- Reporting: information on crypto operations is filed with the tax authority (Receita Federal) through the DeCripto system under Normative Instruction RFB No. 2,291/2025 (which replaced the former Instruction No. 1,888/2019)
In short
This page describes how crypto works in Brazil for a newcomer: what is legal, who regulates the market, where to buy legally, and what happens with taxes. It’s an overview of facts, not legal or tax advice; the specifics of your own situation — and especially current rates, thresholds and deadlines — should be checked against official sources and, if needed, with an accountant or lawyer.
The law allows buying, holding and exchanging virtual assets through service providers operating under the supervision of the Central Bank of Brazil. Bitcoin and similar assets are not legal tender and not the country’s official currency: a seller is not obliged to accept them as money, though parties may agree on payment.
Legal status
The framework is set by Law No. 14,478/2022. It defines a “virtual asset” as a digital representation of value that can be traded or transferred by electronic means and used for payments or for investment purposes. The definition explicitly excludes national and foreign currency, electronic money, loyalty-program points and rewards, and assets whose issuance and trading are regulated as securities.
Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies fall under the notion of a virtual asset. They are not legal tender and do not become the country’s official currency: they can be used by agreement between the parties, but no one is obliged to accept them as payment.
Who regulates and where to buy legally
Decree No. 11,563/2023 designated the Central Bank of Brazil as the body that sets the operating rules for, and supervises, virtual asset service providers. Virtual assets that have the nature of securities remain under the Securities Commission (CVM).
Since February 2026, the Central Bank’s rules on authorizing these providers have been in force. Companies already offering such services when the rules took effect were given a transition period: they may keep operating if they file their authorization request in time through the prescribed process; new entrants must obtain authorization in advance. So, for buying, selling or exchanging crypto, use a provider authorized by the Central Bank or lawfully operating under the transition regime. A brand or an app on its own does not confirm that right; an operator’s current status should be checked in the Central Bank’s official sources.
The general mechanics of buying are in the guide how to buy crypto, and choosing a venue by verifiable signals is in how to choose an exchange.
Taxes
In Brazil, crypto operations touch taxes along several lines, and this is not tax advice:
- Annual return. Crypto is reported in the individual’s annual income return (IRPF) as property once its value reaches the set threshold.
- Monthly reporting of operations. Information on crypto operations is filed with Receita Federal through the DeCripto system (Normative Instruction RFB No. 2,291/2025). The concrete obligation depends on who the participant is (a provider or an individual), on whether a domestic or a foreign platform is used, and on the volume of operations.
- Capital gains tax. Selling or otherwise disposing of a crypto asset with a positive difference between the disposal price and the acquisition cost may create an obligation. Under the ordinary capital gains regime, disposals of low-value property may, in some cases, be exempt.
- Assets held abroad. For crypto assets classified as financial investments held abroad, Law No. 14,754/2023 introduced, from 2024, a separate annual taxation regime for individuals. Which regime applies depends, among other things, on the form of custody and the legal classification of the asset.
The specific rates, exemption thresholds, deadlines and calculation rules change and depend on the type and regularity of operations — we deliberately keep them out of the reference. See current values in Receita Federal’s official sources.
How the rules changed in 2025–2026
The landscape here is changing actively, and several distinct things happened in a short span:
- Reporting was updated. The former Instruction No. 1,888/2019 was replaced by the new DeCripto reporting regime (Normative Instruction RFB No. 2,291/2025), built on the international standard for exchanging tax information about crypto assets. Mandatory monthly filing under the new regime is being rolled out over 2026.
- Provider-authorization rules came into force. Since February 2026, the Central Bank’s rules on authorizing and supervising virtual asset service providers have applied, with a transition period for companies already operating.
- The investment tax reform did not take hold. In 2025 the government proposed Provisional Measure No. 1,303/2025, which changed the taxation of investments and crypto assets and touched existing exemptions. This measure was not converted into a permanent law and lost effect, so the changes it proposed for crypto did not come into force.
Because the tax and regulatory landscape keeps changing, the current status should be checked against official sources before any large operation.
Safety and risks
The rules and their enforcement change, so before large operations it’s worth checking the current requirements. Use only legal platforms — authorized by the Central Bank or operating under the transition period — and beware of fakes and offers with unrealistic returns (see phishing and scams). Responsibility for keeping your keys safe rests with the wallet’s owner (what is a seed phrase, how to store crypto). On the tax side in general — how to handle crypto taxes.
Where to check the current state
The laws in force, the rules and status of service providers, and the tax rules, rates, thresholds and deadlines are published in official sources: the Central Bank of Brazil (bcb.gov.br), the tax authority (gov.br/receitafederal), the legal database of the Presidency (planalto.gov.br), and the Securities Commission (CVM, gov.br/cvm).