According to current cryptocurrency taxation rules in Italy, the receipt of airdrops does not always follow the same pattern, and consequently, the way they are taxed also varies. Read this short article to understand what type of airdrop you received and how to manage it correctly for accurate accounting.
What is an airdrop?
A crypto airdrop is a method used by blockchain projects to distribute free tokens or coins to users, usually as part of a promotional or community-building strategy.
The most common purposes of airdrops are:
Marketing & visibility: To raise awareness of a new project
Rewarding users: As a thank-you to early adopters or loyal community member
Decentralization: To distribute tokens more widely and encourage ecosystem participation
Users typically receive tokens for free—no payment is required.
While some airdrops are unconditional, others require specific actions such as:
Holding a certain token in your wallet (snapshot-based airdrop)
Signing up for a newsletter or platform
Completing tasks (social media sharing, joining a Discord group, etc.)
Using a specific protocol or dApp in the past (often called “retroactive” airdrops)
How are airdrops taxed in Italy?
Pure Airdrops (Free, Without Any Action Required)
Example: You receive tokens simply because you used a platform in the past—no current action is needed on your part.
Tax treatment:
Not taxed at the time of receipt
When it’s taxed: Only upon sale, and only if there’s a capital gain.
The acquisition value is considered zero, so any amount received from the sale is treated as a full capital gain
For this type of airdrop, the transaction category to be used on CryptoBooks is Airdrop.
Airdrops with Consideration (Taxable Airdrops)
Example: You must take specific actions to receive the tokens—such as retweeting, completing tasks, or filling out a form.
Tax treatment:
Taxed as other income (redditi diversi) at a flat rate of 26%, based on the token’s market value at the time of receipt.
This market value becomes your cost basis for future sales.
If you later sell the tokens for more than this value, you’ll be taxed on the capital gain; if you sell for less, you may realize a capital loss.
For this type of airdrop, the transaction category to be used on CryptoBooks is Taxable Airdrop.
Summary Table
Type of Airdrop | Taxed at Receipt | When Taxes Are Paid | Capital Gain Calculation at Sale |
Free airdrop (no action required) | ❌ No | At the time of sale (capital gain) | Sale price - 0 |
Airdrop with action (tasks, etc.) | ✅ Yes (26%) | Immediately, and later at sale* | Sale price - Market value at time of airdrop |