Crypto tax & law in Australia
The ATO treats crypto as a CGT asset — every sale, swap or purchase made with crypto is a taxable event, and the ATO already data-matches with Australian exchanges. Meanwhile, the Digital Assets Framework (assented 8 April 2026) will require platforms to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence when the regime commences on 9 April 2027. Here's everything on the site that helps you stay on the right side of both.
What the ATO expects: CGT events, the 12-month discount, record-keeping, and what "disposal" actually covers (yes, swaps count).
Estimate the tax on your gains: marginal brackets, the 50% discount, losses and Medicare levy — updated for the FY 2026–27 rate cut.
Koinly, Summ, Syla and CoinLedger side by side — ATO report support, exchange integrations, and which are Australian-built.
The four dates that matter for crypto investors — FY end, lodgement deadlines — with live countdowns.
The rules, the platforms with real SMSF support, and how the concessional tax rates actually work.
Which Australian platforms hold (or have applied for) a financial services licence under the Digital Assets Framework, updated automatically.
Our listing policy: AUSTRAC registration is the entry ticket. What that does — and does not — protect you from.
What triggers tax — quick reference
| You… | Treatment | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Buying crypto with AUD | Not taxable | Sets your cost base — record it |
| Holding (price goes up) | Not taxable | Unrealised gains aren't taxed |
| Transferring between your own wallets | Not taxable | Keep evidence both sides are yours; network fees may adjust cost base |
| Selling crypto for AUD | CGT event | Classic CGT event |
| Swapping one coin for another | CGT event | Yes — BTC→ETH is a disposal of BTC at market value |
| Spending crypto on goods/services | CGT event | Disposal at the AUD value spent (small personal-use exceptions are narrow) |
| Gifting crypto | CGT event | Disposal at market value, even though no money changed hands |
| Staking rewards received | Income | Ordinary income at AUD value on receipt |
| Airdrop of an established token | Income | Ordinary income on receipt; later sale is a separate CGT event |
Summarised from ATO guidance — primary sources below; edge cases exist, so confirm anything unusual with a registered tax agent
The 12-month discount, worked through
Individuals who hold a CGT asset for more than 12 months before disposing of it are generally entitled to a 50% discount on the capital gain — the single biggest lever most crypto investors have. Sell at month eleven and the whole gain is assessable; wait past the anniversary and half of it simply isn't. The clock runs per parcel, from acquisition date to disposal date, and swaps count as disposals — so an impatient BTC→ETH rotation can cost you a discount you were weeks from earning.
Our profit calculator applies the 12-month check automatically to your own numbers.
Example — individual taxpayer
Taxed at your marginal rate. Sold at 11 months instead, the full A$3,000 would be assessable.
Investor or trader? It changes everything
Almost all individuals are investors: CGT applies, the 12-month discount is available, and losses are capital losses. But someone running a high-volume, business-like operation — systematic trading, significant turnover, profit-making intention as a business — may be a trader in the ATO's eyes, taxed on trading stock principles with no CGT discount at all. The line is drawn from facts, not preference, and it is one of the most common places crypto returns go wrong. High-volume? Get a registered tax agent's view before you self-assess.
Before June 30 — the EOFY checklist
- 1 Reconcile every account
Connect each exchange and wallet to your tax software early — gaps in history are far easier to fix in May than in September.
- 2 Check parcels near 12 months
If you're planning disposals, know which parcels are past the discount anniversary and which are weeks short of it.
- 3 Review losses honestly
Realised losses offset gains. But "wash sales" — selling purely to claim the loss and immediately rebuying — attract specific ATO attention.
- 4 Export and archive
Download CSVs from every platform you used this year. Exchanges close, APIs change; your records shouldn't depend on their continuity.
Primary sources
We link the regulator, not commentary. For anything that affects your return, the source of truth is:
- → ATO — crypto asset investments
- → ASIC MoneySmart — cryptocurrencies
- → AUSTRAC — digital currency exchange providers
FAQ
Is crypto actually taxed in Australia?
Yes. The ATO treats crypto as a CGT asset, not currency. Selling, swapping one coin for another, spending crypto, or gifting it are all disposal events that can create a capital gain or loss. The ATO data-matches with Australian exchanges, so trading history is visible to them.
Do I pay tax if I just hold?
Buying and holding is not a taxable event on its own. Tax applies when you dispose of the asset. Assets held longer than 12 months may qualify for the 50% CGT discount for individuals.
What records should I keep?
Dates, AUD values at the time of each transaction, what the transaction was for, and who the other party was (even if just their wallet address). Tax software can reconstruct most of this from exchange APIs — start before your history gets long.
Can I claim crypto losses?
Capital losses offset capital gains (crypto or otherwise) in the same year, and unused losses carry forward indefinitely — but they can't offset salary income. Losses must come from a real disposal; a coin that merely fell in value while you hold it isn't yet a loss for tax purposes.
What about staking rewards and airdrops?
The ATO treats most staking rewards and established-token airdrops as ordinary income at their AUD value when received — and that value then becomes the cost base for a later CGT event when you sell. Two tax moments, one coin.
General information only, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and individual circumstances differ — for anything beyond a simple return, engage a registered tax agent.