Tax by country
Australia — tax on crypto and investments
Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Tax year 1 July – 30 June. Last verified 28-10-2026.
| Country | Currency | Tax year | Authority | Last verified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU | AUD | 1 July – 30 June | Australian Taxation Office (ATO) | 28-10-2026 | approved by the owner (accountant), 28-10-2026 |
Related article: hq-fs.com/blog/crypto-tax-australia
Not tax advice. Rules summarised from official sources, linked where each rule is stated, as verified on the date above. Confirm with a qualified adviser before filing.
Scope: Australian-resident individuals holding crypto or shares on capital account (investors). Crypto traders carrying on a business, companies, trusts and SMSFs are noted only where the rule differs. Income years covered: 2024–25 and 2025–26, plus changes already legislated for 2026–27 and 2027–28.
At a glance#
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Tax year | 1 July – 30 June. 2024–25 = 1 Jul 2024 – 30 Jun 2025. 2025–26 = 1 Jul 2025 – 30 Jun 2026 |
| Filing deadline (individuals) | Self-lodgers: 31 October. 2025–26 return: 2 November 2026 (31 Oct 2026 is a Saturday). Agent clients: later, if the agent is engaged before 31 October |
| Crypto legal / tax classification | Each crypto asset is a separate CGT asset (tracked separately) |
| Capital gains on crypto | Net capital gain added to assessable income, taxed at marginal rates |
| Capital gains on shares / funds | Same CGT regime as crypto (share parcels) |
| Holding-period relief | 50% CGT discount for individuals on assets held 12 months or more (super funds 33⅓%). Replaced by CPI indexation + 30% minimum tax for gains accruing from 1 July 2027 |
| Annual exemption / allowance | No annual CGT exemption. Tax-free threshold AUD 18,200 applies to total taxable income |
| Losses (offset, carry-forward) | Capital losses offset capital gains only, not other income. Net capital loss carried forward indefinitely |
| Cost-basis method required | No single method mandated. Specific identification where records allow; otherwise FIFO accepted (TR 96/4) |
| Staking / mining / airdrops | Staking: ordinary income at AUD market value on receipt. Airdrops of established tokens: ordinary income under current guidance; draft TR 2026/D1 would exclude investors |
| Crypto-to-crypto swaps | Disposal = CGT event. Proceeds = AUD market value of the crypto received |
| Spending crypto | Disposal = CGT event. Personal-use exemption possible only if acquired for ≤ AUD 10,000 and used mainly for personal consumption |
| VAT / GST on crypto | Digital currency is treated like money since 1 July 2017. Selling it for money or other digital currency is an input-taxed financial supply (no GST) |
| Reporting obligations (forms, foreign accounts) | CGT reported in the individual return (capital gains item); staking/airdrop income under "Other income". ATO crypto data-matching runs to 2025–26. CARF data collection from 1 January 2027 (draft legislation) |
Capital gains#
Tax rates — Australian residents#
| Taxable income (AUD) | 2024–25 | 2025–26 | 2026–27 (legislated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 18,200 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 18,201 – 45,000 | 16% | 16% | 15% |
| 45,001 – 135,000 | 4,288 + 30% | 4,288 + 30% | 4,020 + 30% |
| 135,001 – 190,000 | 31,288 + 37% | 31,288 + 37% | 31,020 + 37% |
| 190,001 + | 51,638 + 45% | 51,638 + 45% | 51,370 + 45% |
- 2024–25 and 2025–26 rates are the stage-3 rates set by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Cost of Living Tax Cuts) Act 2024.
- 16% → 15% from 1 July 2026; 15% → 14% from 1 July 2027. Enacting Act: Treasury Laws Amendment (More Cost of Living Relief) Act 2025, assent 27 March 2025.
- Base amounts for 2024–25 / 2025–26 (4,288; 31,288; 51,638) are arithmetic from the rates; the 2026–27 base amounts are from the ATO table.
Medicare levy#
| Item | 2024–25 | 2025–26 |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | 2% of taxable income | 2% of taxable income |
| Low-income reduction, single — lower threshold | 27,222 | 28,011 |
| Low-income reduction, single — upper threshold | 34,027 | 35,013 |
| SAPTO single — lower / upper | 43,020 / 53,775 | 44,268 / 55,335 |
A net capital gain is part of taxable income, so it also bears the Medicare levy.
Computing the gain#
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| CGT event | Selling crypto for AUD, swapping for another crypto, exchanging for a stablecoin, gifting, or spending it |
| Proceeds | AUD market value at the time of the transaction, including crypto-to-crypto swaps |
| Cost base | Acquisition cost in AUD plus incidental costs (e.g. fees) |
| Discount | Individuals: 50% of the gain after applying capital losses, if held 12 months or more. Complying super funds: 33⅓%. Companies: none |
| Wrapping (ETH → WETH) | Draft TD 2026/D2 (19 Aug 2026): wrapping and unwrapping are each a CGT event |
Personal-use asset exemption#
| Test | Rule |
|---|---|
| Cost threshold | Gain disregarded if the asset was acquired for AUD 10,000 or less |
| Use test | Crypto kept or used mainly to buy items for personal use or consumption, typically within a short period |
| Excluded | Crypto held as an investment, in a profit-making scheme or a business |
| Losses | Capital losses on personal-use assets are disregarded and cannot be carried forward |
The law has not been narrowed for crypto. The ATO applies the use test strictly, so most investor holdings do not qualify.
Income#
| Receipt | Treatment | Value / cost base |
|---|---|---|
| Staking rewards (investor) | Ordinary income when received | AUD market value at receipt; same value is the cost base |
| Airdrop — established token, current ATO guidance | Ordinary income when received ("Other income") | AUD market value at receipt; cost base = that value |
| Airdrop — initial allocation (first distribution, before any trading) | No ordinary income, no capital gain on receipt | — |
| Airdrop — hobby / entertainment | Not assessable | — |
| Airdrop — draft TR 2026/D1 (issued 19 Aug 2026, not final) | Investor not carrying on a crypto trading business and not paid for services: not taxed on receipt | Market value becomes first element of cost base |
| Airdrop — crypto trading business | Ordinary income at market value | — |
Rates: income is taxed at the marginal rates and Medicare levy above.
Cost basis and record keeping#
Parcel identification#
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Mandated method | None for crypto in ATO crypto guidance |
| Specific identification | Allowed where records identify the units disposed of |
| FIFO | Accepted where specific units cannot be identified |
| Other orderings | ATO share guidance lists FIFO, LIFO, HIFO; method may differ per parcel sold |
| Revenue account (traders) | TR 96/4: specific identification where possible, else FIFO |
The shares guidance is applied to crypto by analogy. The ATO crypto pages do not state the ordering rule directly.
Records#
| Record | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Retention | 5 years from the later of: record prepared/obtained, transaction complete, year of the CGT event |
| Currency | Every transaction in AUD at market value at the time |
| Content | Date, purpose, counterparty (wallet address is enough), receipts, wallet records and keys |
| Granularity | Each crypto asset tracked separately |
| Exchange exports | ATO suggests exporting history at least every 3 months |
| Assets held at 1 July 2027 | Market value just before 1 July 2027 needed when the asset is later sold; do not value before that date |
Lost or stolen crypto#
| Case | Rule |
|---|---|
| Lost private key | Capital loss allowed if ownership is evidenced (e.g. public key); loss = reduced cost base |
| Compensation received | Reduces the capital loss |
Indirect taxes#
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| GST rate | 10% |
| GST registration threshold | Turnover AUD 75,000 (non-profit AUD 150,000) |
| Buying / selling digital currency | Input-taxed financial supply when sold for money or digital currency; no GST |
| Paying for goods with digital currency | Treated as payment, like money |
| Supplies to non-residents outside Australia | GST-free |
| NFTs | Not digital currency; supply taxable unless GST-free |
Reporting and deadlines#
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| 2024–25 return (self-lodged) | Due 31 October 2025 |
| 2025–26 return (self-lodged) | Due 2 November 2026 (deadline falls on a weekend) |
| Via registered tax agent | Later due dates under the agent lodgment program; agent must be engaged by 31 October |
| Overdue prior-year returns | Taxpayers with returns overdue at 30 June 2026 must lodge 2025–26 by 31 October 2026 |
| Payment (self-lodged, no agent) | Generally 21 November |
| Where crypto goes on the return | Capital gains item (CGT); staking and airdrop income under "Other income" |
| ATO data matching | Crypto data-matching program collects exchange data through 2025–26 |
| Penalties | Failure-to-lodge penalty and interest on overdue returns |
Recent and upcoming changes#
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