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Crypto tax in Australia 2026
Australia taxes crypto like shares: selling, swapping or spending coins triggers a capital gain at your marginal rate, and holding more than 12 months halves the taxable gain — an effective ceiling around 23.5%.
Run it like a business — high-frequency trading, mining, or staking at scale — and profits are ordinary income at up to 45% plus the 2% levy, with no discount.
At a glance
- top rate
- ≈ 23.5% effective (long-held); 47% for traders
- entry band
- 0% inside the tax-free threshold; personal-use asset exemption for small purchases
- tax year basis
- 1 July – 30 June
- filing deadline
- 31 October return
- residency basis
- Residents: worldwide crypto gains
- regime flag
- Crypto-to-crypto swaps are taxable disposals
Rates
Crypto taxation for individuals (2025/26)
| Rate | Base | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Marginal rates on 50% | Half the gain | Coins held more than 12 months by investor-residents |
| Marginal rates on 100% | Full gain | Coins held 12 months or less — including every crypto-to-crypto swap |
| Marginal rates (to 45% + 2%) | Value when received / net profit | Staking and mining rewards, airdrops, and business-scale trading |
Thresholds & allowances
- Loss reliefCrypto losses offset capital gains
Carried forward indefinitely against future gains, never against salary
Residency
Residency trigger
Residents owe Australian tax on crypto gains wherever the exchange sits; the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) receives data from exchanges and pre-fills matching prompts.
Non-resident treatment
Crypto is not taxable Australian property, so non-residents generally sit outside Australian tax on personal holdings; temporary residents are exempt on foreign-sourced gains.
Notes
- The source chapter does not address crypto; the treatment shown follows published Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidance — capital gains rules for investors, income rules for business activity.
- Every swap is a disposal at market value — trading one coin for another crystallises a gain even without touching dollars.
- Reports about replacing the 50% discount from 2027 conflict; nothing is enacted as of this compilation.
- Records matter: acquisition dates drive the 12-month discount, and the ATO's data-matching reaches most major exchanges.
FAQ
How is crypto taxed in Australia?
As a capital gains asset: your marginal rate on gains, halved for coins held over 12 months (effective maximum ≈ 23.5%). Mining, staking rewards and business-scale trading are ordinary income at up to 47%.
Is swapping one crypto for another taxable in Australia?
Yes — each swap is a disposal at market value and can create a gain or loss, even with no cash involved. The 12-month clock restarts for the new coin.
Figures: tax year 2025/26 (July–June basis), compiled from public sources. Not tax advice.