Is My Crypto App a Service Provider? HMRC's Examples

Updated 17 October 2026

General information only, not tax advice. We are not HMRC and are not affiliated with it. Check GOV.UK and your platform. Last checked against GOV.UK: 17 October 2026. Anything marked expected should be re-checked. Examples use made-up figures. Do not enter personal identifiers (National Insurance number, UTR, name, date of birth) on this site. This page contains no affiliate links.

Short answer: GOV.UK says cryptoasset service providers are businesses that let you buy, sell, transfer or exchange cryptoassets, or do this for you. Its examples are a wallet app you use to exchange bitcoin, an online marketplace where you buy and sell NFTs, and a service you pay to manage your cryptoasset portfolio. The cryptoassets listed include exchange tokens like bitcoin, NFTs, utility tokens, stablecoins and security tokens. You must give your details to every provider you use, even if it is not based in the UK.

Who shares your data with HMRC (GOV.UK)

  • You live in the UK and use a UK provider: HMRC uses your information to link your cryptoasset activity to your tax record.
  • You live in the UK and use a non-UK provider: if the provider's country follows the same rules, its tax authority shares your information with HMRC.
  • You live outside the UK and use a UK provider: if your country follows the same rules, HMRC shares your information with your country's tax authority.

What the page does not say

GOV.UK's examples are illustrations, not a legal definition. A wallet app counts in GOV.UK's example when you use it to exchange bitcoin; whether a particular service is a reporting provider is decided under the CARF rules. The page does not say whether a self-custody wallet with no exchange function is a provider (see DeFi and self-custody). It does not list countries either, but HMRC publishes a list of reportable jurisdictions for 2026 in its International Exchange of Information manual (IEIM8000720). The UK itself is covered by domestic reporting.

Related

Overseas exchanges · Non-UK accounts checklist · Penalties

FAQ

Does it matter whether my NFT trades are small? The page does not mention a de minimis for NFT marketplaces; transaction reporting rules are in the Regulations (not read here).

Is paying tax separate from this? Yes: the page says Capital Gains Tax or Income Tax may be due depending on the transaction, and unpaid tax can bring a penalty of up to 100% of the tax due plus interest.

What we could not verify

Uncertain. These points were not confirmed on the pages read. A re-check of the GOV.UK pages is planned for 1 December 2026.

  • Whether a specific app or marketplace is a provider (depends on the rules and its role).
  • Which non-UK countries follow the same rules: HMRC's list for 2026 is in IEIM8000720 (read 17 October 2026) and can change; we did not copy it. The CARF rules (Section IV(B)) were not read.
  • Reporting thresholds for retail payments and other transactions (not on this page).
  • The page shows a last update of 1 January 2026 and had not changed when re-checked on 17 October 2026.

Sources (official)