Crypto Tax in Australia: The Complete 2026 ATO Guide

How the ATO taxes crypto

In Australia the ATO treats crypto as a CGT asset (property), not as money. That means most things you do with crypto are either a capital gains tax (CGT) event or ordinary income — and you report them in your annual tax return.

What counts as a CGT event

You trigger a CGT event when you dispose of crypto by:

• Selling crypto for AUD
• Trading one crypto for another (yes — crypto-to-crypto is taxable)
• Spending crypto on goods or services
• Gifting crypto to someone else

Your capital gain (or loss) is the AUD value at disposal minus your cost base (what you paid plus certain fees).

The 12-month CGT discount

If you're an individual and you hold a crypto asset for more than 12 months before disposing of it, you may be entitled to a 50% CGT discount on the gain. Holding period is one of the biggest levers on your tax bill.

When crypto is income, not CGT

Some crypto is taxed as ordinary income at its AUD market value when you receive it — commonly staking rewards and many airdrops. That amount is then also your cost base for a future CGT event.

Key dates

The Australian financial year runs 1 July to 30 June. If you self-lodge, your return is generally due by 31 October. Using a registered tax agent can give you more time — but you usually need to be on their books before the deadline.

How to actually do it

Manually tracking crypto-to-crypto trades, DeFi and airdrops is painful and error-prone. Crypto tax software connects to your exchanges and wallets, applies ATO rules (including the 12-month discount), and generates a report you or your accountant can lodge. For most Australians, Koinly is the easiest starting point; Syla is a strong Australia-only option with tax-minimisation built in.

General information only, current as a guide to ATO rules — not personal tax advice. Crypto tax depends on your circumstances. Verify with the ATO or a registered tax agent before you lodge.