Crypto Tax Calculator UK
Calculate Capital Gains Tax on Bitcoin, Ethereum and cryptocurrency with HMRC-compliant Section 104 pooling. Free, accurate and up-to-date.
Last updated: February 2026
Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Staking & Mining Income Tax
Section 104 Pooling Calculator
Calculate your average cost basis using HMRC's Section 104 pooling method.
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Tax Planning Tools
What Crypto Transactions Are Taxable in the UK?
Understanding which crypto events trigger tax is essential. HMRC treats cryptocurrency as property, not currency, making most transactions potentially taxable.
Selling for GBP
Converting crypto to pounds triggers CGT
Crypto-to-Crypto
Trading BTC for ETH is a disposal
Spending Crypto
Buying goods/services with crypto
Gifting Crypto
Gifts to non-spouse are disposals
Buying & Holding
No tax until you dispose
Wallet Transfers
Moving between your own wallets
Spouse Transfers
Gifts to spouse/civil partner
Charity Donations
To registered UK charities
How Section 104 Pooling Works
The UK uses Section 104 pooling (NOT FIFO like the USA) to calculate your crypto cost basis. This means all purchases of the same cryptocurrency are pooled together at an average cost.
Example: Bitcoin Pool Calculation
Same-Day and 30-Day Matching Rules
Before using the Section 104 pool, HMRC requires you to apply these matching rules:
- Same-Day Rule: Any crypto bought on the same day as a sale is matched first
- 30-Day Rule (Bed and Breakfasting): Any crypto bought within 30 days AFTER a sale is matched next
- Section 104 Pool: Remaining disposals use the average cost from your pool
7 Smart UK Crypto Tax Strategies (2025/26)
Legal ways to minimise your crypto tax liability. These strategies are HMRC-compliant and used by tax professionals.
1. Use Your £3,000 CGT Allowance Annually
Every tax year you get a fresh £3,000 allowance. If you don't use it, you lose it - it doesn't carry forward. Consider selling and rebuying (bed and breakfasting) to realise gains tax-free each year and reset your cost basis higher.
2. Transfer Crypto to Spouse Before Selling
Transfers between married couples/civil partners are CGT-free. This lets you use BOTH allowances (£6,000 total) and potentially sell in a lower tax band. The receiving spouse inherits your original cost basis.
3. Tax-Loss Harvesting
Sell losing positions before April 5th to crystallise losses. These offset gains in the same year or carry forward indefinitely. UK has NO wash sale rule for crypto - you can rebuy immediately.
4. Strategic Timing Across Tax Years
Split large sales across tax years to use two allowances. Selling £6,000 gain? Realise £3,000 before April 5th and £3,000 after April 6th = both portions potentially tax-free.
5. Donate to Charity for CGT Relief
Gifting appreciated crypto to registered UK charities is CGT-free. You can also claim Income Tax relief on the market value donated. Great for highly appreciated positions.
6. Keep Detailed Transaction Records
Without records, HMRC assumes £0 cost basis = tax on entire proceeds. Export CSVs from all exchanges, back up to cloud, use crypto tax software. Required for 5+ years.
7 Costly UK Crypto Tax Mistakes to Avoid
These errors can cost thousands in overpaid tax or HMRC penalties.
1. Not Reporting Crypto-to-Crypto Trades
EVERY crypto trade (BTC to ETH, etc.) is a taxable disposal. HMRC receives exchange data - they WILL find unreported trades. Penalties can reach 100% of unpaid tax.
2. Using FIFO Instead of Section 104
UK requires Section 104 pooling (average cost), NOT First-In-First-Out. Using FIFO usually results in paying MORE tax and is non-compliant.
3. Ignoring Same-Day & 30-Day Rules
These matching rules apply BEFORE Section 104 pooling. Ignoring them gives incorrect cost basis - usually resulting in overpaying tax.
4. Not Reporting Staking/Mining as Income
Rewards are taxed TWICE: Income Tax when received, then CGT when sold. Failing to report income is a serious HMRC offence with penalties.
5. Missing the 4-Year Loss Claim Deadline
You must claim crypto losses within 4 years of the tax year they occurred. Miss the deadline and you lose the right to offset against future gains forever.
6. Using Wrong GBP Valuations
HMRC requires GBP value at the EXACT time of transaction - not end-of-year or average prices. Wrong valuations = wrong tax calculation.
Official UK Crypto Tax Resources
Essential HMRC guidance and tools for crypto tax compliance.
HMRC Cryptoassets Manual
Official guidance on crypto taxation including Section 104 pooling, matching rules, DeFi, NFTs and record-keeping requirements.
Self Assessment Guide
How to report crypto gains via Self Assessment. Use SA108 Capital Gains pages for crypto disposals.
Capital Gains Tax Overview
General CGT guidance including rates, allowances and reporting requirements applicable to cryptocurrency.
Crypto Tax Software
Tools like Koinly, CoinTracker and CryptoTaxCalculator auto-import transactions and apply UK tax rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK crypto gains are subject to Capital Gains Tax. For 2025/26, you have a £3,000 annual tax-free allowance. After that:
- Basic rate taxpayers (income up to £50,270): 18% on gains
- Higher/additional rate taxpayers: 24% on gains
Example: £10,000 gain - £3,000 allowance = £7,000 taxable. At 18% = £1,260 tax, at 24% = £1,680 tax.
Yes! Trading one cryptocurrency for another (e.g., Bitcoin for Ethereum) is a taxable disposal in the UK. You must calculate the gain as:
- GBP value of crypto RECEIVED at time of trade (proceeds)
- Minus: Your cost basis of crypto SOLD
- Equals: Taxable gain (or loss)
This is one of the most commonly missed taxable events. HMRC receives data from major exchanges and can identify unreported trades.
Staking and mining rewards are taxed TWICE:
- Income Tax when received: The GBP value at receipt is added to your income and taxed at 20%, 40% or 45% depending on your total income.
- Capital Gains Tax when sold: Any increase in value from receipt to sale is subject to CGT. The receipt value becomes your cost basis.
Example: Receive 0.1 ETH worth £200. Income tax: £80 (at 40%). Later sell for £300. CGT: £100 gain - £3,000 allowance = usually £0 additional tax.
HMRC requires detailed crypto records kept for at least 5 years (6 years from tax year end). You need:
- Date and time of every transaction
- Transaction type (buy, sell, trade, transfer)
- Amount of crypto and GBP value at transaction time
- Exchange/platform used and transaction fees
- Wallet addresses you own
- Evidence of cost basis (bank statements, exchange records)
Without records proving cost basis, HMRC can assume £0 cost = tax on entire proceeds. Download exchange CSVs regularly and use crypto tax software.
Yes! Crypto losses can offset gains to reduce your tax bill:
- Same tax year: Losses automatically reduce gains before the £3,000 allowance applies
- Carry forward: Unused losses carry forward indefinitely to offset future gains
- Must claim: You must actively claim losses on Self Assessment within 4 years
Example: £10,000 gain - £4,000 loss = £6,000 net - £3,000 allowance = £3,000 taxable. Tax-loss harvesting before April 5th is a key strategy.
FIFO (First-In-First-Out): Used in the USA - assumes you sell oldest crypto first. NOT valid for UK tax.
Section 104 Pooling: UK method - all purchases of same crypto pool together at average cost. Required by HMRC.
Example: Buy 1 BTC at £20k, then 1 BTC at £40k. Sell 1 BTC.
- FIFO: Cost = £20k (oldest first) - WRONG for UK
- Section 104: Cost = £30k (average of £20k + £40k) - CORRECT for UK
Using FIFO in the UK is non-compliant and usually results in paying more tax.
The tax treatment depends on the type:
- Hard forks: Generally NOT taxable when received (no acquisition cost). Taxable as CGT when later sold, with £0 cost basis.
- Airdrops: May be Income Tax if received in return for service/promotion. If unsolicited gift, may be £0 cost basis for CGT when sold.
The key question is whether you did anything to receive them. Marketing airdrops requiring social media posts may be treated as income.
You must file Self Assessment if:
- Crypto gains exceed £3,000 (even if no tax due after losses)
- Total disposal proceeds exceed £50,000 (even with small gains)
- You received crypto income (staking/mining) over £1,000
- You're already in Self Assessment for other reasons
Deadlines for 2025/26: Register by 5 October 2026, file online by 31 January 2027, pay tax by 31 January 2027.
Expert Reviewed — This calculator is reviewed by our team of financial experts and updated regularly with the latest UK tax rates and regulations. Last verified: February 2026.
Last updated: February 2026 | Verified with latest UK rates
Pro Tips for Accurate Results
- Double-check your input values before calculating
- Use the correct unit format (metric or imperial)
- For complex calculations, break them into smaller steps
- Bookmark this page for quick future access
Understanding Your Results
Our Crypto Tax Calculator provides:
- Instant calculations - Results appear immediately
- Accurate formulas - Based on official UK standards
- Clear explanations - Understand how results are derived
- 2025/26 updated - Using current rates and regulations
Common Questions
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Official Sources
How to Use This Crypto Tax Calculator
- Enter your crypto transactions – Input each buy, sell or swap you made during the 2025/26 tax year. Include all disposals: selling for GBP, trading one coin for another and spending crypto on goods or services.
- Input acquisition cost and disposal proceeds – For each transaction, enter the original purchase price (acquisition cost) and the amount you received on disposal. Use GBP values at the time of each transaction.
- Select your income tax band – Choose whether you are a basic rate (up to £50,270) or higher/additional rate taxpayer. This determines your Capital Gains Tax rate: 18% for basic rate or 24% for higher and additional rate.
- View your capital gains tax liability – The calculator instantly shows your total gains, total losses, net gain, and the CGT owed after applying the correct rate to your taxable amount.
- Check if you are within the annual exempt amount – For 2025/26, the tax-free Capital Gains Tax allowance is £3,000. If your net gains fall within this threshold, you owe no CGT. Any gains above £3,000 are taxable at your applicable rate.
Worked Examples: Crypto Capital Gains Tax 2025/26
The examples below use the 2025/26 CGT rates introduced by the October 2024 Budget: 18% for basic rate taxpayers and 24% for higher/additional rate taxpayers (now aligned with other asset classes).
Example 1: Single Bitcoin Sale – Basic Rate Taxpayer
You bought 1 BTC at £20,000 and later sold it for £35,000.
- Capital gain: £35,000 − £20,000 = £15,000
- Annual exempt amount: −£3,000
- Taxable gain: £12,000
- CGT at basic rate (18%): £12,000 × 18% = £2,160
Example 2: Multiple Trades with an Offset Loss
You made two trades during the tax year:
- ETH bought at £5,000, sold at £8,000 → gain of £3,000
- SOL bought at £2,000, sold at £1,500 → loss of £500
- Net gain: £3,000 − £500 = £2,500
- £2,500 is within the £3,000 annual exempt amount
- Capital Gains Tax owed: £0
Example 3: Higher Rate Taxpayer – Large Gain
You are a higher rate taxpayer and realised a £25,000 gain from crypto disposals.
- Capital gain: £25,000
- Annual exempt amount: −£3,000
- Taxable gain: £22,000
- CGT at higher rate (24%): £22,000 × 24% = £5,280
Example 4: Crypto-to-Crypto Swap (Taxable Disposal)
You swapped 10 ETH (original cost £15,000) for BTC worth £22,000 at the time of the swap.
- This is a taxable disposal – swapping one crypto for another triggers CGT
- Capital gain: £22,000 − £15,000 = £7,000
- The £22,000 becomes the acquisition cost of your new BTC for future disposals
- After the £3,000 exempt amount, £4,000 is taxable at your applicable CGT rate
Sources & Methodology
Official HMRC Guidance
- HMRC: Tax on Cryptoassets – The primary HMRC guidance on how cryptocurrency is taxed in the UK.
- Capital Gains Tax Rates – Official CGT rates for the current tax year.
Key Rates & Allowances (2025/26)
- Annual exempt amount: £3,000 (reduced from £6,000 in 2023/24 and £12,300 in 2022/23).
- Basic rate CGT: 18% – applies if your total taxable income is within the basic rate band (up to £50,270).
- Higher/additional rate CGT: 24% – applies if your income exceeds the basic rate band. These rates took effect from 30 October 2024, aligning crypto CGT with residential property rates.
Methodology Notes
- HMRC classifies cryptocurrency as property (a capital asset), not currency. Capital Gains Tax applies on disposal.
- This calculator applies the standard CGT computation: disposal proceeds minus acquisition cost, offset by allowable losses, then the annual exempt amount.
- Section 104 pooling, same-day and 30-day (bed-and-breakfasting) matching rules are used where applicable.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Tax rules are subject to change. For complex situations (DeFi, airdrops, forks, non-domicile status), consult a qualified tax professional or accountant. Always refer to the latest HMRC cryptoassets guidance for definitive rules.