Paid Salary in Crypto in Ireland: Payroll and BIK Rules

Updated 17 October 2026 · Information only · Not tax or financial advice

Short answer: Revenue's manual says that where emoluments for an employee or director are paid in crypto-assets, the value for calculating payroll taxes is generally the euro amount attaching to the crypto-asset at the time the payment is made. Returns to Revenue must be in euro. Crypto given free or at a reduced price is dealt with under the normal benefit-in-kind (BIK) rules. A right or option to acquire assets (which may include crypto-assets) is treated similarly to share options.

Employers

• Calculate PAYE/payroll taxes on the euro value when paid; show euro amounts on returns and make remittances appropriately.
• Value: the manual adds, in a footnote on the word "generally", "or the cost of the crypto asset to the employer, if higher". The start of that footnote isn't legible in the published copy, so we can't say exactly when the higher cost applies.
• Free or discounted crypto: the normal BIK rules apply. Revenue's BIK manual (TDM 05-01-01a, last reviewed May 2026) says the value of a non-cash benefit or perquisite is added to pay as "notional pay", with income tax, USC and PRSI applied. A perquisite (something that is money or can be turned into money) is generally taxed on its market value when given, not the employer's cost; a BIK (use without ownership) is generally valued at the higher of the employer's expense or the value realisable by the employee, less anything the employee pays. The manuals don't say which category crypto falls in; our reading is that crypto can be turned into money, which points towards a perquisite, but that is not stated by Revenue.
• Why the crypto manual adds "or the cost to the employer, if higher": we can't reconcile this with the perquisite rule above because the start of that footnote isn't legible.
• Options or rights: see Revenue's Share Schemes manual (not read).
• For a business accepting crypto for goods or services, the manual says there is no change to when revenue is recognised or how profits are calculated, and VAT is due in the normal way on the euro value at the time of supply.

Employees

Your crypto salary is taxed as employment income at its euro value; when you later sell it, a CGT disposal arises (see disposals and paying with crypto). Your euro value on receipt is likely your acquisition cost for CGT (our inference; the manual says market value at acquisition for crypto, Examples 1-2 use "cost of acquisition / market value at time of acquisition").

Made-up example

An employee is paid €2,000 in crypto in March when the crypto is worth €2,000. Payroll tax is on €2,000. In August the same crypto is sold for €2,400; the CGT gain is €400 (before expenses, exemption and losses).

FAQ

Which exchange rate?

See valuation.

Is employer crypto a PAYE reporting issue?

Yes, per the manual: euro amounts on returns.

What we could not verify

Sources (official)

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