Is crypto legal in Argentina?
Holding, buying, and selling crypto is legal in Argentina. As of February 2026 crypto is not legal tender, but it is widely used and may be referenced in private contracts. Companies that offer crypto services must register with the Comisión Nacional de Valores, the CNV, as virtual asset service providers, known locally as PSAV, under Law 27,739 and CNV General Resolution 1058/2025. Crypto is taxed by the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero, the ARCA, which treats gains as taxable income and includes crypto in the personal assets tax. Argentina is one of the most active crypto markets in the world, with very high use of dollar stablecoins. This is information, not advice.
The rules in detail
Holding, buying, and selling crypto is legal in Argentina, and there is no ban on individuals owning crypto. As of February 2026 crypto is not legal tender, so no one is obliged to accept it, but the use of crypto is lawful and the government has confirmed that contracts may be denominated in bitcoin and other crypto where the parties agree. Argentina has one of the highest rates of crypto adoption in the world, driven by persistent inflation and demand for dollar linked stablecoins such as USDT and USDC as a store of value.
The core framework for the industry is the registration of providers. Law 27,739, passed in March 2024, amended the anti money laundering law to define virtual assets and virtual asset service providers and placed the Comisión Nacional de Valores, the CNV, in charge of a mandatory registry of providers, known as PSAV from the Spanish Proveedores de Servicios de Activos Virtuales. As of February 2026 a business that exchanges, transfers, or holds crypto for the public, above the volume thresholds the CNV sets, must be registered to operate legally in Argentina.
The CNV detailed the regime in General Resolution 1058/2025, published in the Boletín Oficial on 14 March 2025. It sets registration, conduct, custody, cybersecurity, asset segregation, and anti money laundering requirements for PSAVs, with most obligations becoming enforceable for registered providers from 31 December 2025 as of the CNV timetable. The CNV has also applied volume based thresholds, reported around 35,000 UVA of monthly activity, above which registration is mandatory. Because the detail and the thresholds can be updated, confirm the current rule with the CNV before relying on it.
The central bank is moving in parallel. The Banco Central de la República Argentina, the BCRA, restricted banks from offering crypto in 2022. As of February 2026, under the Milei administration, the BCRA has been preparing a framework to let regulated banks offer crypto services under anti money laundering and know your customer rules, with measures expected during 2026. We mark this part of the framework as developing rather than settled, because the detail was still being finalised.
Tax
Crypto is taxable in Argentina. As of February 2026 the tax authority is the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero, the ARCA, which replaced the former AFIP. Gains from disposing of crypto are generally treated as taxable income under the income tax, the Impuesto a las Ganancias, and crypto held at the end of the year is included in the personal assets tax, the Bienes Personales, reported at rates that have ranged from about 0.5 percent to 1.75 percent on the value at 31 December. Secondary guidance commonly cites a cedular income tax applied at 15 percent on gains from disposing of crypto, with a lower rate where the result is in pesos, but the exact treatment depends on residency, the asset, and your circumstances, so confirm it with ARCA or a professional. There is no tax on unrealised gains from simply holding crypto. Argentina is also aligning with international crypto tax reporting standards, so exchanges report user activity. Verify before filing.
How to act legally
To use crypto compliantly in Argentina, choose a platform that is registered with the CNV as a PSAV, complete its identity checks, and keep records of your purchases, sales, and the costs involved for tax. Several local and international platforms serve Argentine residents. See the Argentina pages on best exchanges, buying bitcoin, and regulation for the detail.
Compare available exchanges in Argentina
Several platforms serve residents of Argentina as of February 2026, including local providers and international exchanges registered in the CNV PSAV registry. We list a platform here only where it is genuinely available to this country.
Regulator and sources
The securities and virtual asset regulator is the CNV, which runs the PSAV registry. The tax authority is ARCA. The central bank is the BCRA. Positions on this page are drawn from official and reputable sources read as of February 2026.
- Law 27,739 (2024), which amended Argentina's anti money laundering law to define virtual assets and place the PSAV registry with the CNV.
- CNV General Resolution 1058/2025, published in the Boletín Oficial on 14 March 2025, setting registration and conduct rules for PSAVs.
- Comisión Nacional de Valores (CNV), on the PSAV registry and registration thresholds.
- Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA), formerly AFIP, on income tax and the personal assets tax as applied to crypto.
- Banco Central de la República Argentina (BCRA), on the framework for banks offering crypto services.
Frequently asked questions
- Is crypto legal in Argentina?
- Yes. As of February 2026, holding, buying, and selling crypto is legal in Argentina. It is not legal tender, but it is widely used and may be referenced in private contracts. Providers must register with the CNV as PSAVs to operate.
- Who regulates crypto in Argentina?
- The Comisión Nacional de Valores, the CNV, runs the mandatory PSAV registry for virtual asset service providers under Law 27,739 and Resolution 1058/2025, as of February 2026. Tax is handled by ARCA, and the BCRA oversees banks.
- How is crypto taxed in Argentina?
- As of February 2026, ARCA treats gains from disposing of crypto as taxable income and includes crypto in the personal assets tax on holdings at 31 December. There is no tax on simply holding crypto. The exact rate depends on your circumstances. This is not tax advice.
- Is bitcoin legal tender in Argentina?
- No. As of February 2026 the peso is the legal tender of Argentina, and no one is obliged to accept bitcoin. However, using bitcoin is lawful, and the government has confirmed that contracts may be denominated in crypto where the parties agree.
- Do crypto exchanges need to register in Argentina?
- Yes. As of February 2026, businesses that exchange, transfer, or hold crypto for the public above the CNV thresholds must register as PSAVs with the CNV under Law 27,739. Check a platform's registration in the CNV registry before you sign up.
- Can banks offer crypto in Argentina?
- The BCRA restricted banks from offering crypto in 2022. As of February 2026 it was preparing a framework to let regulated banks offer crypto services under anti money laundering rules, with measures expected during 2026. Confirm the current position with the BCRA.