Airdrops: how tokens received for free are taxed

Updated on 25 October 2026

An airdrop distributes tokens to addresses, often to reward use of a protocol. The French tax authorities have not published any guidance specific to airdrops; practice distinguishes two cases, depending on whether or not you did something to obtain them.

An airdrop received for nothing in return

Tokens arrive at your address without any particular action on your part: nothing is taxed on receipt. They enter the portfolio at zero acquisition cost, and selling them for euros is taxed like any disposal of crypto, under the flat tax (PFU, article 150 VH bis of the CGI, the French tax code).

An airdrop that rewards an action

Points programmes, quests, tasks, promotion, testing: the airdrop then pays for an activity. It is more likely to fall under non-commercial profits (BNC) in the year of receipt, at its value in euros on that date. This value is then added to the portfolio's acquisition cost, so that it is not taxed twice on sale. The BOFiP (official French tax guidance) does not settle this case; the distinction comes from the practice of specialist advisers.

Cases that raise questions

• Retroactive airdrop (reward for past use, with no prior promise): most often treated as received for nothing in return.
• Claim fees (to claim the tokens) paid in crypto: they are part of the cost of obtaining them.
• Tokens with no market at the time of receipt: the value on receipt is zero or very low; document it.
• NFT received in an airdrop : since 1^st January 2026, unique NFTs have their own regime (see NFTs and tax).
• Unsolicited or fraudulent tokens : do not touch them; an "airdrop" that asks for a signature is often a scam.

Example

Vous recevez 1,000 jetons en récompense de points accumulés sur un protocole ; ils valent €0.80 le jour de la réception. Dans la lecture BNC, €800 sont déclarés comme revenu de l'année, et €800 s'ajoutent à votre prix total d'acquisition. Sans contrepartie, rien n'est déclaré à la réception et les jetons entrent pour €0.

Finding your airdrops

Bilan DeFi lists your airdrops by year, with their value on receipt and the BNC base alongside, in the Taxes tab of the overview.

See also: crypto taxation in France, declaring your crypto (form 2086), DeFi taxation.

Frequently asked questions

Is an airdrop taxable on receipt?

If received for nothing in return, no: it enters the portfolio at zero acquisition cost and tax is due on the sale for euros. If it rewards an action (points, quests, tasks), it rather falls under BNC in the year of receipt.

At what value should an airdrop taxed as BNC be declared?

At its value in euros on the day of receipt; this value is then added to the portfolio's acquisition cost.

Do you have to declare an airdrop you have not sold?

For an airdrop received for nothing in return, no. For an airdrop rewarding an action, the BNC reading requires declaring it in the year of receipt, even without a sale.

General information, not tax advice. The rules change with every finance act and depend on your situation. For a complex case (regular activity, large amounts, a tax audit), have it checked by a chartered accountant or a tax lawyer.