Bitcoin in Colombia: rules, tax and how it's priced
In Colombia bitcoin is quoted in pesos per 1 BTC (BTC/COP), a figure that runs to hundreds of millions of pesos, so most buyers purchase a small fraction. The figures on this page are the international BTC/USD price converted at today's USD/COP exchange rate, before exchange fees, spreads and any local premium. Because the peso floats, the COP price moves with both bitcoin and the exchange rate.
Is bitcoin legal in Colombia?
Yes. Owning and trading bitcoin is legal, but it is not legal tender; only the peso is. Colombia has no specific crypto law, and the Superintendencia Financiera (SFC) does not license, supervise or endorse crypto businesses. From 2021 the SFC ran a pilot sandbox, lasting about three years, in which exchanges partnered with banks and payment firms, such as Bancolombia with Gemini and Davivienda with Binance, to move pesos in and out, and it reported no incidents that threatened the pilot. Bills to regulate crypto service providers have been proposed in Congress, but none had become law as of October 2026. Crypto providers must still file suspicious-transaction and monthly reports with the financial intelligence unit, UIAF.
How DIAN taxes crypto
The tax authority, DIAN, treats crypto-assets as intangible assets under the general tax rules. You must include them in your declared net worth (patrimonio) at their value on 31 December. If you sell crypto you held for less than two years, the gain is ordinary income taxed at progressive rates of up to 39%. If you held it for two years or more, the gain is an occasional gain (ganancia ocasional), taxed at 15%. Crypto held as inventory by a dealer produces ordinary income. Under Resolution 000240 of December 2025, which applies the OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, providers collect client and transaction data from tax year 2026, with the first report due by the end of May 2027.
Buying bitcoin in Colombia
Colombians buy bitcoin with pesos on local and international exchanges and through peer-to-peer (P2P) trades, usually funded by bank transfer or other local payment methods. Because there is no licensing regime, Colombian financial consumer protections generally do not apply to these platforms, so it is worth checking how a platform holds customer funds before depositing money. Peso prices on exchanges and P2P markets can differ from the converted international price shown here. Keep records of each purchase, because DIAN will receive platform data from 2027.
Legal and tax information last reviewed October 2026. Crypto rules change quickly — check with the regulator or tax authority, or a qualified adviser, before acting. This is not tax, legal or investment advice.