Bitcoin Taxes in Mexico: How Much Do Individuals Pay on Gains? (Guide)

Current as of January 2026. This article is educational information, not legal or tax advice. If you have meaningful volume, multiple platforms, or frequent trading, consult a Mexican tax professional.

Many Mexicans use Bitcoin via exchanges and seek clarity on tax treatment. If you're an individual (persona física) wondering about "impuestos Bitcoin México" or how ISR applies to your criptomonedas, this guide breaks it down simply.

TL;DR

Mexico does not apply a special “Bitcoin tax rate” for individuals. In most everyday cases, taxes arise when you dispose of bitcoin at a gain, for example, when you sell it, swap it, or spend it. The key variable is your net gain in MXN, supported by documentation, and the applicable ISR mechanics under general rules for disposals of property (enajenación) and swaps (permuta). The annual return is generally filed during April of the following year.

Why It Matters

• A “sale” can occur even if you never receive pesos, for example, in a crypto-to-crypto swap or when paying with bitcoin.

• Your tax liability often hinges on good recordkeeping (cost basis, exchange rates, fees) rather than complex calculations.

• Mexico’s framework relies on general tax concepts rather than a dedicated “crypto chapter,” so classification and documentation matter.

• Exchanges and intermediaries may be subject to AML obligations for “activos virtuales,” increasing the likelihood that transactions are reconstructable.

The Core Idea: Bitcoin Is Treated Like Property You Can Dispose Of

Mexican tax law uses the concept of enajenación to describe a broad set of ownership transfers. The CFF defines enajenación broadly as any transfer of ownership rights, which is why many advisors analyze bitcoin disposals under general property disposal logic rather than as a special asset class.

Separately, Mexican law recognizes permuta (a swap). For tax purposes, a swap is generally treated as two disposals, which is the practical legal basis for why a crypto-to-crypto trade can be a realization event.

Practical takeaway: the taxable moment is usually when you dispose of bitcoin, not when it goes up in price while you hold it.

Important precision: the classification of your specific activity is facts-and-circumstances. This guide explains the dominant framework used in practice for individuals, but your regime and patterns can change the analysis.

What Actions Are Typically Taxable for an Individual?

Here's a simple breakdown:

Usually Not Taxable by Itself

• Buying Bitcoin with MXN.

• Holding Bitcoin (unrealized gains are not typically taxed as income merely because the price changed).

Often Treated as Taxable Disposal Events

• Selling bitcoin for MXN (or any other currency).

• Trading bitcoin for another cryptoasset (often analyzed as a permuta).

• Spending bitcoin on goods or services (you dispose of bitcoin at an MXN value at the time of payment).

Because permuta is treated as two disposals, you can think of a BTC-to-USDT trade as:

1. disposing of BTC at an MXN value, and
2. acquiring USDT at an MXN value,

both valued at the time of the trade.

How Gains Are Calculated in Practice

The Basic Logic

For each disposal event, the core idea is:

Net gain (MXN) = MXN value at disposal − MXN cost basis − fees/commissions

What matters operationally:

• You need a defensible MXN value at the moment of disposal.

• You need a consistent cost basis method.

• You need documentation for fees.

Practical notes that matter in real audits:

• Measure everything in MXN at the time of each event (date and time matter).
• Keep support for your valuation method (exchange price, reference rate, platform statements).
• Fees and commissions are usually the easiest legitimate reductions to lose if you do not keep documentation.

Valuation in MXN: What “Good Documentation” Looks Like

For bitcoin, there is no official Banxico bitcoin reference rate. A practical, defensible approach is:

• Use the executed price on the exchange where the trade occurred, supported by statements or trade confirmations.
• If your price is quoted in USD (or a USD stablecoin), document the USD price and the FX conversion method used to translate into MXN (e.g., using Banxico FX rates if applicable).

The goal is not to find a perfect price. The goal is a consistent, explainable method that can be reproduced from your records.

Cost Basis: Choose a Method and Apply It Consistently

For many individuals, FIFO is the simplest method to implement because it is easy to explain and audit. However, what matters most is consistency and documentation.

What ISR Rate Applies?

There is no dedicated “Bitcoin rate.” Your effective ISR outcome depends on how the income is treated and your broader tax picture, but the underlying point remains: bitcoin is not taxed differently just because it is bitcoin.

ISR for individuals is progressive. Your net gains from taxable events generally end up affecting your annual ISR calculation alongside the rest of your income, depending on how the income is characterized and reported in your specific situation.

(Source: RMF 2026, Anexo 8 (tarifa anual). (SAT)

Practical implication: there is no universal “X% bitcoin tax.” Two people with the same bitcoin gain can pay different ISR depending on their total annual income and regime.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Simple Sale

• Buy 0.10 BTC for 100,000 MXN, plus 500 MXN fee.
  • Cost basis: 100,500 MXN.  
• Sell later for 120,000 MXN, minus 600 MXN fee.
  • Net proceeds: 119,400 MXN.  
• Gain: 119,400 − 100,500 = 18,900 MXN.  

The key is that your calculation is in MXN and supported by records.

Example 2: Paying with Bitcoin

If you buy goods worth 20,000 MXN using bitcoin, and that portion of bitcoin originally cost you 14,000 MXN, the implied gain is 6,000 MXN. You realized a gain without ever receiving pesos.

What If I Get Paid in Bitcoin?

This is a common source of confusion.

• Receiving bitcoin as payment is typically analyzed as income at the MXN value at the time you receive it.
• Later disposing of that bitcoin can create an additional gain or loss relative to your cost basis (the value you recognized when you received it).

This distinction matters because it prevents double-counting and clarifies why “income on receipt” and “gain on disposal” are different moments.

Occasional Investor vs Habitual Trader: Why Classification Matters

The most important “gray zone” is not the arithmetic. It is whether SAT could view your activity as:

• Occasional disposals (typical investor behavior), versus
• Habitual, commercial activity (closer to business activity)

If your activity starts to look like a business (frequency, intent, organization, offering services to others), the compliance posture can change materially, including how you report, whether there are monthly obligations, and whether IVA considerations become more relevant.

You should treat this boundary as a professional-review point if any of the following are true: high-frequency trading, multi-platform operations, third-party funds, market-making, or you are effectively “running a desk.”

What About IVA (VAT)?

Many individuals encounter IVA indirectly through platform service fees (you pay it as the consumer if applicable).

Could IVA apply to a bitcoin disposal itself? The VAT law is built around categories like the sale of goods, provision of services, and use or enjoyment. For intangibles, the law includes a territorial rule: an intangible disposal is considered in Mexico when both parties reside in the same place.

In practice, casual individuals usually do not run into “IVA on the disposal” as the main issue, but if your activity is habitual or structured like a business, IVA analysis becomes more important, and you should get case-specific advice.

Records to Keep (Where Most People Fail)

Maintain a ledger that can recreate each disposal in MXN:

• Date and time of acquisition and disposal.
• Amount of bitcoin involved.
• Wallet/exchange references and transaction IDs.
• MXN valuation used at the moment of disposal.
• Fees/commissions with receipts or statements.
• A consistent cost-basis methodology applied across the year.

If you cannot document the cost basis and expenses, you increase the risk that an auditor challenges your numbers and you lose legitimate reductions.

This is the difference between “tax on net gain” and an avoidable dispute about reconstructed amounts.

Traceability and Reporting: Why Documentation Matters

Two trends matter:

1. AML reporting thresholds for “Operaciones con Activos Virtuales” are low. The SAT’s thresholds table shows identification as “Siempre” and an “Umbral de aviso” expressed in UMA, including a low threshold shown for virtual asset operations.
2. International reporting is coming. OECD’s CARF commitments list Mexico among jurisdictions undertaking first exchanges by 2028, which is aimed at increasing cross-border tax transparency for cryptoassets.

Practical implication: over time, it becomes easier for the authority to reconcile off-ramps, platform data, and your filings. The best defense is consistent MXN bookkeeping and conservative documentation.

What Might Change from 2026 Onward

You should expect more evolution in reporting, data matching, and administrative guidance than in a single new “bitcoin tax rate.”

• More third-party reporting and exchange of information as CARF implementation approaches.
• Continued emphasis on AML compliance for platforms and intermediaries, which increases the quality of data available for audits.
• More clarifications through criteria, FAQs, and enforcement patterns rather than a brand-new crypto chapter in the tax code.

Action Checklist for 2026+

• Keep an event ledger in MXN.
• Store platform statements and fee receipts.
• Document valuation method at time of disposal.
• Do not assume “only withdrawals matter.”

Common Misconceptions and Mistakes

1. “Taxes only apply when I withdraw to my bank.”  

Not necessarily. A swap can be analyzed as a permuta, and the law explicitly states that a permuta implies two disposals.

2. “Spending bitcoin is not a sale.”  

Economically it is a disposal of an asset at a measurable MXN value at the moment of payment.

3. “There is a fixed percent tax on bitcoin sales.”  

ISR for individuals is progressive, and official tariffs are published by SAT (see Anexo 8 RMF 2026). ([SAT][1])

4. “Fees do not matter.”  

Fees can materially change net gain, but only if you can document them.

How and When Do You Report (High-Level)?

Mexican Income Tax Law provides that individuals who obtain income in a calendar year generally pay their annual tax through a return filed during April of the following year. 

What this means operationally:

• Your 2026 activity is typically reported in the annual filing during April 2027, subject to your regime and exceptions.
• Certain patterns (especially business-like activity) can create additional periodic obligations beyond the annual return.

This article stays education-only by design. For the actual “where in the portal” questions, rely on your accountant’s mapping to your specific tax regime and the SAT interface for that year. 

Risks and Disclaimers

• This is general educational information, not legal or tax advice. Outcomes vary by your residency, tax regime, activity frequency, documentation, and counterparties. Always consult a certified Mexican tax advisor, such as through the Colegio de Contadores Públicos.

• Tax laws, guidelines, and enforcement can evolve—check SAT updates.

• Bitcoin involves market volatility and custody/security risk independent of taxes.

Next Steps: Practical and Easy

• Inventory all potential disposal events: sales, swaps, and spending.

• Build a MXN ledger with time-stamped valuations and fees.

• If you trade frequently or across multiple platforms, ask a Mexican tax professional to explicitly classify your activity (occasional disposal vs business-like) and map it to your regime.

• Keep your documentation in an audit-ready format before April filing season.

Definitions

• Bitcoin (protocol): A decentralized network that validates transactions via consensus and a distributed ledger.

• bitcoin (asset): The unit of value native to the Bitcoin network.

• Enajenación (CFF): Broadly, a transfer of ownership rights as defined in the Código Fiscal de la Federación.

• Permuta: A swap treated as two disposals for tax purposes.

• Activo virtual (LFPIORPI): A representation of value recorded electronically used by the public as a means of payment, transferable only through electronic means, excluding legal tender and foreign currency.

FAQ

Do I Pay Tax Just for Holding Bitcoin in Mexico?

Usually no. Taxes generally arise when you dispose of bitcoin and realize a gain.

Is Trading BTC for USDT Taxable?

Often it is analyzed as a swap (permuta), which is treated as two disposals, potentially creating a realized gain.

Is Paying with Bitcoin a Taxable Event?

It can be, if the MXN value at payment exceeds your documented cost basis.

Do AML Rules Change My Income Tax?

Not directly. AML rules affect reporting and traceability by intermediaries, not the core ISR concept, but they can increase the importance of good records.

What Records Matter Most?

A disposal ledger in MXN with timestamps, valuation evidence, fees, and a consistent cost-basis method.

When Is the Annual Return Due for Individuals?

The Income Tax Law states that the annual return is presented during April of the following year.

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⁠References

Cámara de Diputados del H. Congreso de la Unión. (2021). Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (Última reforma DOF 23-04-2021) [PDF]. https://portalhcd.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/PortalWeb/Leyes/Vigentes/PDF/LISR_230421.pdf

Cámara de Diputados del H. Congreso de la Unión. (2025). Código Fiscal de la Federación (Última reforma DOF 14-11-2025) [PDF]. https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CFF.pdf

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2025, December 4). Jurisdictions committed to implement the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) in time to commence exchanges in 2027, 2028 or 2029 as part of the Global Forum’s CARF commitment process [PDF]. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/networks/global-forum-tax-transparency/commitments-carf.pdf

Servicio de Administración Tributaria. (2025, December 28). Anexo 8 de la Resolución Miscelánea Fiscal para 2026: Tarifas aplicables a pagos provisionales, retenciones y cálculo del ISR [PDF]. https://www.sat.gob.mx/minisitio/NormatividadRMFyRGCE/documentos2026/rmf/anexos/Anexo-8-RMF-2026_DOF-28122025.pdf

Servicio de Administración Tributaria. (n.d.). Umbrales de identificación y aviso (LFPIORPI). Portal de Prevención de Lavado de Dinero. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://sppld.sat.gob.mx/pld/interiores/umbrales.html