Is Zcash legal in Belgium?

The legal situation in Belgium

Owning Zcash and using a self-custody wallet is legal in Belgium; no national law bans holding privacy coins. MiCA Article 76(3), applicable since 30 Dec 2024, bars trading platforms from admitting coins with an inbuilt anonymisation function unless holders and transaction history can be identified, yet Kraken's regional-restrictions page (updated 30 Sep 2026) does not restrict ZEC in the EEA, Coinbase's ZEC page says it is available (withdrawals to transparent addresses only), and SwissBorg added ZEC for European customers in September 2026. Gemini closed its EEA accounts in April 2026. From 10 Jul 2027 the EU AML Regulation (2024/1624, Art. 79) bars CASPs from keeping accounts that allow anonymity-enhancing coins; it names no coins, so whether ZEC's optional privacy is caught will depend on providers and supervisors.

Key facts

• 2024-06-19: AML Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 published in the Official Journal; Art. 79(1) bars CASPs from keeping accounts that allow anonymisation 'including through anonymity-enhancing coins', and under Art. 90 it applies from 2027-07-10.
• 2024-12-30: MiCA CASP rules apply; Art. 76(3) blocks admission of crypto-assets with an inbuilt anonymisation function.
• 2026-09-30: Kraken's regional-restrictions page (last updated 30 Sep 2026) lists XMR, but not ZEC, among assets EEA clients cannot deposit or trade.
• 2026-10: Coinbase's ZEC price page says ZEC is available on its exchange and that sending to shielded addresses is not supported; the same wording appears on every Coinbase locale, so it is not country-specific confirmation.
• 2026-04-06: Gemini closed all customer accounts in the EEA, UK and Australia (withdrawal-only from 5 Mar 2026), so it no longer offers ZEC here.
• 2026-09-14: SwissBorg added ZEC for European customers through its MiCA-licensed French entity, handling transparent addresses only.
• Tax: From 1 Jan 2026 a 10% tax applies to capital gains on financial assets, including crypto-assets, with the first EUR 10,000 of gains a year exempt (law approved by Parliament on 3 Apr 2026, applying retroactively); speculative or professional gains can still be taxed at higher rates.

What this means for you

Owning Zcash in your own wallet is legal, but regulated exchanges here do not list it or are being pushed to drop it. If you hold ZEC on an exchange, read what to do when an exchange delists Zcash and move it to a wallet you control. Only use buying routes that are legal where you live; see how to buy Zcash.

Sources

coinbase.com, digitaltoday.co.kr, esma.europa.eu, kpmg.com, securex.be, springlex.eu, support.gemini.com, support.kraken.com.

Sources are listed by publisher so you can look them up yourself; we do not link out.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Check the regulator's own website before acting.

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