Crypto tax rules pull traders out of shadows with TIN-first policy

Nigeria is taking drastic steps to eliminate faceless cryptocurrency trading by requiring users to obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN) before their accounts can be activated. The policy effectively forces millions of peer-to-peer (P2P) traders out of the shadows and directly into the country’s formal tax system.

The directive serves as one of the most consequential provisions in the Nigeria Revenue Service’s (NRS) newly issued guidelines on the taxation of virtual assets, marking the government’s most comprehensive effort yet to regulate the country’s booming digital asset market.

For years, Nigeria’s P2P market has relied on anonymity. The market, which boasts $48.2 million in daily P2P crypto volume and is ranked amongst the top adopters globally, has enabled users to buy and sell Bitcoin, USDT, and other digital assets well outside the traditional banking ecosystem, rendering tax enforcement nearly impossible. This latest move puts an end to all of that now.

Segun Ogunyemi, chief executive officer of Hashlytics, noted that this rule “is the detail with the most practical bite.” By linking account access directly to the national tax identity system, P2P traders who have operated informally for years must now establish a documented tax footprint to transact legally.

The new guidelines require Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), crypto exchanges and P2P marketplace operators to collect TINs from customers opening new accounts, maintain detailed transaction records, determine the fair market value of digital assets on the date of every transaction, and file relevant tax returns. The framework also applies to individuals and businesses earning income from trading, mining, staking, decentralised finance (DeFi), token rewards and other blockchain-based activities.

Gilbert Joekpata, a crypto analyst and investment strategist, said the guidelines should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria’s large crypto community, particularly retail traders who previously assumed their activities were beyond the reach of tax authorities.

“Anyone trading P2P, using exchanges or holding and moving crypto in Nigeria is affected. Many people believed crypto was invisible to tax authorities. That assumption is no longer valid,” Joekpata said.

He advised users to begin preserving transaction histories, including dates, trade values and supporting records, instead of waiting for enforcement actions.

“Start saving your trade history, don’t wait until enforcement begins. If you trade significant volumes, speak to a tax adviser, accountant or lawyer because there are penalties for non-compliance,” he said.

Nigeria consistently ranks among the world’s largest cryptocurrency markets, with digital assets widely used for remittances, cross-border payments, savings and as a hedge against naira depreciation. The popularity of P2P trading became even more pronounced after restrictions on banking support for crypto transactions pushed activity onto decentralised platforms.

The NRS guidelines are designed to close that visibility gap. Beyond requiring taxpayers to identify themselves, the framework also imposes reporting obligations on exchanges and marketplace operators, effectively turning them into tax compliance partners for the government.

One of the most significant changes is that registered exchanges will now withhold certain taxes directly from cryptocurrency transactions. The guidelines impose a 1.5 percent stamp duty on eligible fiat-to-token and token-to-fiat transfers, with the tax deducted from the digital assets being credited to a buyer’s wallet and remitted to the NRS in the same cryptocurrency.

The framework also clarifies that gains from selling digital assets, payments received in cryptocurrencies, mining rewards, staking income and DeFi earnings may all attract taxes depending on the nature of the transaction. Exchange service fees may also be subject to Value Added Tax (VAT), while companies generating profits from crypto-related businesses remain liable for corporate income tax under existing tax laws.

For crypto exchanges, the compliance burden has expanded significantly. They are now expected to verify customer identities, retain transaction records, report taxable activities and remit applicable taxes within prescribed timelines, exposing operators to substantial penalties for non-compliance.

Beyond taxation, however, the new framework has exposed an unresolved regulatory issue that could shape the future of Nigeria’s digital asset industry.

Ogunyemi noted that while the NRS public notice focuses on tax administration, the underlying legal documents contain an important discrepancy that has received little public attention.

“The National Assembly’s certified version of the underlying Act contains no presidential power to designate a primary virtual assets regulator. But a separate Federal Gazette version hosted by the NRS adds that power, directing the President to name one agency with primary responsibility for regulating all virtual assets,” he said.

According to him, that difference matters because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has operated its own Virtual Asset Service Provider licensing framework since 2022.

“Whether the NRS’s tax authority and the SEC’s regulatory authority operate as parallel tracks or eventually collide remains unresolved,” Ogunyemi said, adding that previous consultations between lawmakers and crypto industry participants suggest the institutional boundaries are still evolving.

The guidelines represent the first major implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s July executive order establishing a coordinated framework for virtual asset regulation. They are also backed by the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, which expanded the country’s tax laws to explicitly cover digital assets.

For many traders, the most immediate implication is that participating in Nigeria’s crypto economy will increasingly require formal identification, accurate record-keeping and tax compliance. The era when millions of P2P transactions could take place largely outside government oversight is drawing to a close as authorities move to bring one of Africa’s largest cryptocurrency markets fully into the mainstream financial and tax system.