Guide to Crypto Tax in Australia for 2026

Yes. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) treats most disposals (selling for dollars, swapping one coin for another, or spending crypto) as capital gains tax (CGT) events. Mining, staking, airdrops, salary paid in crypto, and many DeFi yields are assessed as ordinary income at market value when received.

Crypto capital gains are added to your other assessable income and taxed at marginal rates that currently range from 0-45% for individuals. Hold an asset at least twelve months and you can discount the gain by 50%. Income from staking, mining, airdrops, and business trading is taxed as ordinary income with no discount, though related expenses are deductible.

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Buying and holding cryptocurrency

Purchasing crypto with Australian dollars has no immediate tax impact unless you are running a trading business, in which case inventory rules apply.

Selling cryptocurrency

Selling for AUD or another fiat currency triggers CGT on the difference between proceeds and cost base. Report the result at question 18 of your individual tax return.

Mining and staking

Block rewards and staking payouts are ordinary income at market value when credited to your wallet. A later disposal is a separate CGT event based on that new cost base.

Crypto-to-crypto trades taxed

Swapping BTC for ETH, providing liquidity, or bridging tokens counts as disposing of the first asset and acquiring the second, so you calculate CGT in Australian dollars at the time of the swap.

Receiving cryptocurrency as payment

If you accept crypto for goods or services, the AUD market value is business income. GST may also apply if you are registered and the sale is domestic.

Work out each gain or loss in Australian dollars, subtract any carried-forward capital losses, then apply the 50% discount if you held the asset twelve months or more. Unused losses roll forward indefinitely and can offset future gains but not ordinary income.

Net capital losses carry forward indefinitely and offset future capital gains. Business losses from trading, mining, or staking may be deductible against other business income if the activity passes at least one non-commercial loss test.

Use our free crypto tax calculator.

Established-token airdrops are ordinary income at market value when received. When you later sell those tokens, any additional gain is a CGT event with the cost base equal to the value already taxed as income.

Depositing tokens into a lending pool or liquidity protocol is usually treated as a disposal of the original asset and an acquisition of the receipt token, creating an immediate CGT event. Periodic interest, yield, or incentives paid by a DeFi platform are ordinary income at the time you receive them, even if the tokens remain locked.

Learn more: What Is Defi?

Exchanges and certain service providers must register with AUSTRAC, follow KYC rules, and report suspicious transactions. Treasury is drafting a licensing framework for digital-asset platforms expected to take effect in 2026, so maintaining robust records now will make future audits easier.

If you mine, stake, or day-trade at commercial scale, the ATO may classify you as carrying on a business. Crypto gains then become ordinary income, and you can deduct reasonable business expenses.

Deducting crypto losses in Australia

Business losses can offset other income if you pass at least one non-commercial loss test; otherwise, they carry forward until the business becomes profitable.

Using crypto to buy coffee or pay freelancers counts as disposing of the asset. The AUD value of the goods or services is the proceeds for CGT purposes. Businesses accepting crypto must record the fair value in AUD and may need to charge GST on domestic sales.

Legal strategies include holding assets for twelve months, harvesting capital losses before June 30, contributing to superannuation where appropriate, and steering clear of wash sales, which the ATO actively monitors.

Learn about crypto tax free countries.

Transferring coins between wallets you own is not taxable because ownership does not change. Very short-term holdings under 10,000 AUD used purely to buy a personal item may be exempt as a personal use asset, but the ATO applies this rule narrowly.

Keep invoices, exchange statements, blockchain transaction IDs, and wallet addresses for at least five years after lodging the return. Store screenshots or CSV exports showing market value at the time of each transaction.

The tax year runs July 1 to June 30. Self-lodgers must file by October 31. Using a registered tax agent often extends lodgment to as late as May of the following year, provided you register with the agent before October 31. Payment is due November 21 unless the ATO grants an extension.

You need transaction dates, token names, wallet addresses involved, AUD value at the time of each transaction, the purpose of the transaction, and receipts for any deductible expenses.

Most individuals can lodge online with myTax. Advanced traders often prefer a registered tax agent. TokenTax imports data from major exchanges and wallets, converts every transaction to AUD, and generates an ATO-ready report in minutes.

Convert every transaction to Australian dollars using the spot rate on the transaction date, classify each item as income or CGT, subtract deductible expenses and carried-forward losses, then apply any discounts. Automated tools such as the TokenTax calculator streamline the process and flag missing data.