On August 19, 2025, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires presented the “BA Cripto” program, an initiative aimed at positioning the district as a regional center for financial and technological innovation.
The announcement marks an institutional step forward in recognizing the development of the crypto sector and its particularities, motivating a series of specific measures: the payment of taxes and administrative procedures with cryptocurrencies is enabled, and new tax and regulatory provisions applicable to activities related to crypto assets are established.
- Payment of Taxes with Cryptocurrencies
Once the program is effectively implemented, taxpayers will be able to choose to pay taxes such as ABL (hygiene tax), License Plate Tax, and Gross Income Tax, as well as non-tax procedures such as driver’s licenses and fines, using cryptocurrencies. The operation will be carried out using a QR code and channeled through authorized providers converting the crypto asset into pesos, ensuring safe and efficient operation. In addition, the government announced the possibility of using any digital wallet for this purpose. This measure is already being implemented by the government, and will allow taxpayers to pay in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and other digital currencies.
- Incentives for the Crypto Sector and Differential Tax Base
The public announcement included a series of incentives aimed at growing the crypto asset industry in the City. One of the key points is that Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) will be excluded from the bank collection regime for gross income, preventing these entities from suffering bank withholdings on third-party funds they manage on their platforms.
On the other hand, the necessary legal amendments will be introduced in the Tax Code to provide for special treatment in relation to the composition of the tax base for those entities engaged in the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies. Under the new regime, the tax base will now be calculated on actual income (the difference between purchase and sale) rather than the total amount of the transaction, which corrects distortions that made the activity economically unfeasible.
- Update of the nomenclature of economic activities
Finally, an update to the nomenclature of economic activities has been proposed, creating specific categories for mining, custody, and exchange of cryptocurrencies, in order to prevent companies from being classified in inappropriate categories. This measure should prevent the incorrect payment of withholdings that affect their working capital and reduce the profitability of the activity.
- Conclusion
In summary, the BA Crypto program incorporates crypto assets into the City’s tax regime to offer a more attractive legal framework that favors the establishment of new players in the booming and rapidly expanding crypto universe.
