diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/type_traits.h b/cpp/src/arrow/type_traits.h
index 1b7a02e1085..900c3e05a56 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/type_traits.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/type_traits.h
@@ -103,6 +103,16 @@ struct CTypeTraits {};
 
 /// \addtogroup type-traits
 /// @{
+template <>
+struct CTypeTraits<Decimal128> : TypeTraits<Decimal128Type> {
+  using ArrowType = Decimal128Type;
+};
+
+template <>
+struct CTypeTraits<Decimal256> : TypeTraits<Decimal256Type> {
+  using ArrowType = Decimal256Type;
+};
+
 template <>
 struct TypeTraits<NullType> {
   using ArrayType = NullArray;