The Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN) of Colombia intensifies the monitoring of the economic movements of the taxpayers, including the operations with Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrencies, through the crossing of data with banks, companies and official entities.
In 2025, those who made transactions with cryptoactive in 2024 must declare their income if they exceeded the established stops, according to the information compiled by the tax authority. This process, which forces to report income, assets or consignments, may surprise those who did not consider their significant movements, But declaring correctly sanctions and optimizes tax benefits.
For four years, Colombia requires declaring cryptocurrency operations, a practice that is consolidated with the strengthening of exogenous information systems. Banks, Notaries, Chambers of Commerce and Companies The financial movements of natural and legal persons report to the DIANincluding transactions with cryptoactive, explained the Colombian analyst of the Juan Rodríguez cryptocurrency market.
The income tax taxes any income obtained between January 1 and December 31 of the previous fiscal year, regardless of whether it comes from cryptocurrencies, salaries or investments. In 2024, the stops to declare income included income, purchases or consignments greater than USD 65.9 million, or a heritage that exceeds USD 211 million.
An illustrative case is that of the one who in 2024 bought and sold USD Tether (USDT) as secondary activity. Through your personal bank account, He received buyer payments and transferred to suppliersaccumulating a volume of operations greater than USD 200 million, although its usefulness did not reach USD 10 million. In addition, a sale of USD 30 million to an OTC company, reported as an entrance to its name, placed it above the limits of gross consignments and income.
As a result, that person must declare income in 2025, regardless of their real gain, since the DIAN prioritizes the data reported by third parties about individual perceptions.
Exogenous information is key in this process. Every year, the DIAN receives detailed reports from entities that record transactions, From bank transfers to mandate contracts.
These data, crossed with the single tax role (RUT), cards or bank accounts of taxpayers, allow to identify who exceed the thresholds to declare. It is not just cryptocurrencies: purchases, sales, investments and even movements in stock exchanges are monitored. The fiscal authority does not depend on what the taxpayer reports, but on what third parties are reduced, which reduces the margin to omit income.
Declare is not the same as paying
Declare rent, however, does not always imply paying taxes. According to Rodríguez, proper planning allows us to take advantage of tax benefits.
Up to 1,090 UVT (approximately USD 51.4 million in 2024) of the taxable base may be exempt, and progressive income tax rates vary according to the income level.
A precise statement can locate the taxpayer in a low range, minimizing the fiscal impact. On the other hand, errors or omissions can derive in taxes of up to 39%, in addition to sanctions and interests that aggravate the situation.
The panorama for cryptocurrency users in Colombia reflects an increasingly rigorous tax system. Since 2021, Dian has included cryptoactives in its radar, demanding clarity in its origin and use. The tax specialist Alex García explains that not to declare correctly, or try to evade the obligation, leads to significant risks.
The sanctions for inconsistencies in the declaration can exceed the value of the taxes owed, and the interest by default accumulate rapidly. Faced with this scenario, the recommendation is clear: declare, even if payments will not be generated, Protect the taxpayer from future problems.
Dian, with access to a growing volume of data, knows more than many imagine about the finances of Colombians. In a context where transparency is inevitable, declaring precisely not only complies with the law, but optimizes the taxpayer and clear situation, Avoid evasion payments and sanctions.
