Crypto is taxable in the UK. HMRC treats cryptocurrency as a capital asset — not currency — and most crypto activity creates a taxable event. Getting this wrong means penalties, interest charges, and investigation risk.
This guide explains exactly what you owe, when, and how to report it.
The Short Answer
- You must report to HMRC even if the exchange hasn’t told them (though many have)
How HMRC Views Cryptocurrency
HMRC’s position (set out in their Cryptoassets Manual) is clear: cryptoassets are a form of property, not currency. This means:
- HMRC has obtained data from exchanges (Coinbase UK, Binance, others) and has issued enquiry letters to UK holders
Capital Gains Tax: When You Pay
You trigger a Capital Gains Tax event when you:
You do not trigger CGT when you:
- Buy crypto with fiat and hold it
- Transfer crypto between your own wallets
- Gift to your spouse or civil partner
CGT Rates (2025/2026 Tax Year)
| Your Income Tax band | CGT rate on crypto gains |
|---|---|
| Basic rate taxpayer (up to £50,270 income) | 18% |
| Higher/additional rate taxpayer (£50,271+) | 24% |
Note: the rate depends on your total taxable income including the gain. If your income is below the basic rate threshold, the gain may push you into higher rates.
The Annual CGT Exempt Amount
For the 2025/26 tax year, each individual has an annual CGT exempt amount (also called the Annual Exempt Amount or AEA) — the amount of gains you can make each tax year without paying CGT.
Check the current HMRC website for the exact exempt amount — it has been reduced significantly in recent years (from £12,300 in 2022/23 to lower thresholds since). If your total net gains in a tax year are below the threshold, you may owe nothing — but you should still report if you’re above the reporting threshold.
Calculating Your Gain
Gain = Disposal proceeds minus Allowable costs
Allowable costs include:
- What you originally paid for the crypto
- Broker or exchange fees paid to acquire it
- Costs of disposal (e.g., gas fees when selling)
Example:
- Bought 1 ETH for £2,000 in January 2024
- Sold 1 ETH for £3,500 in October 2025
- Gas fee to sell: £5
The Section 104 Pool (Pooling Rule)
HMRC requires you to calculate gains using a pool of your holdings, not individual transaction-by-transaction matching.
When you buy the same crypto multiple times, all purchases are pooled together into a single “Section 104 pool”. The cost basis for a sale is the average cost across all pooled purchases.
Example:
- 1 Jan: Buy 1 BTC at £30,000
- 1 Jun: Buy 0.5 BTC at £50,000 (total pool: 1.5 BTC at £36,667 average cost)
- 1 Oct: Sell 0.5 BTC at £45,000
The 30-Day Rule (Bed and Breakfasting)
To prevent people selling crypto to realise a loss and immediately buying it back, HMRC has a 30-day rule: if you buy the same crypto within 30 days of selling it, the cost basis for the sale uses the new purchase price, not the pool average.
This is important for year-end tax planning — if you sell BTC on 30 March, you cannot buy it back until 30 April if you want to crystallise the loss.
Same-Day Rule
If you buy and sell the same crypto on the same day, the gains/losses are calculated using the same-day purchase prices first (before pooling rules).
Income Tax: When You Pay
Income Tax applies to crypto received as:
| Source | Tax Treatment |
|---|---|
| Mining rewards | Income Tax on value when received |
| Staking rewards | Income Tax on value when received |
| Airdrops (for services) | Income Tax on value when received |
| Airdrops (random, no service) | May be capital only — fact-specific |
| DeFi lending income | Income Tax |
| Salary paid in crypto | Income Tax via PAYE |
| Crypto referral bonuses | Income Tax |
Important: Receiving staking rewards or mining income is an Income Tax event at the point of receipt. When you later sell those tokens, you’ll also pay CGT on any gain from the price when you received them to when you sold them.
Income Tax Rates (2025/26)
- Basic rate: 20% (£12,571–£50,270)
- Higher rate: 40% (£50,271–£125,140)
- Additional rate: 45% (above £125,140)
- Personal Allowance: £12,570 (income up to this threshold is tax-free)
Losses: How They Work
Capital losses can be offset against capital gains. If you sell a crypto for less than you paid, the loss reduces your net gains for the year.
- Losses must be reported to HMRC to be usable (even if you have no tax to pay)
- Unused losses can be carried forward to future years — they don’t expire
- You cannot claim losses on crypto you gifted to a connected person at below market value (an anti-avoidance rule)
Using Losses Strategically
Many investors review their portfolio before 5 April (UK tax year end) to consider realising losses on losing positions to offset gains elsewhere. This is legal tax planning — often called “tax-loss harvesting.”
Remember the 30-day rule: selling and immediately rebuying the same crypto within 30 days negates the loss for tax purposes.
DeFi: Complex Territory
DeFi creates taxable events that most investors don’t consider:
Swapping tokens: Every time you swap Token A for Token B on Uniswap or any DEX, this is a disposal — you’ve “sold” Token A at its current value. CGT applies.
Providing liquidity: Adding tokens to a liquidity pool may be treated as a disposal. Removing liquidity may also trigger CGT. HMRC has not provided definitive guidance on all scenarios — specialist advice is recommended for active DeFi users.
Wrapped tokens: Wrapping ETH into wETH may or may not be a taxable disposal — HMRC’s position is not fully settled. As a conservative approach, some advisors treat it as a disposal.
Bridging: Moving tokens across chains via a bridge is a complex area — some bridging involves an implicit swap that could be taxable.
NFTs
NFTs are taxable as capital assets. Buying, selling, and swapping NFTs all create potential CGT events. For NFT artists and creators, income from NFT sales may be taxed as trading income rather than CGT, depending on the circumstances.
How to Report to HMRC
Crypto gains and income are reported on Self Assessment Tax Returns.
Do you need to do Self Assessment?
You must complete a Self Assessment return if:
- Your total crypto gains exceed the CGT reporting threshold for the year (currently gains above the Annual Exempt Amount, though check current thresholds)
- You received crypto income
- Your total capital gains from all assets (including crypto) exceeds the reporting threshold
Deadline: 31 January following the end of the tax year (e.g., for 2025/26 tax year ending 5 April 2026, the deadline is 31 January 2027).
Online return: Most people file via HMRC’s online Self Assessment system (GOV.UK).
Keeping Records
HMRC requires records to be kept for at least 5 years from the filing deadline. For each crypto transaction, record:
- Date of transaction
- Type (buy, sell, swap, receive)
- Amount of crypto
- Value in GBP at the time
- Exchange/wallet used
- Any fees paid
Most exchanges allow CSV export of transaction history. Download this regularly — some exchanges delete old data.
Crypto Tax Software
Calculating your taxes manually is complex, especially with many transactions. Dedicated software automates most of it:
These tools connect to your exchanges via API or CSV import, categorise transactions, apply HMRC pooling rules, and produce reports you can submit or hand to an accountant.
Getting Professional Help
If you have:
- Significant gains (e.g., over £50,000)
- Complex DeFi activity
- Mixed crypto and traditional investment portfolios
- Questions about DeFi, NFTs, or unusual situations
Consider engaging a tax advisor with crypto experience. HMRC enquiries into crypto are increasing, and professional guidance provides both accuracy and protection.
FAQ
Can HMRC see my crypto transactions?
Yes. HMRC has obtained data from UK-regulated exchanges (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and others) under their tax information powers. They have also issued “nudge letters” to holders who may not have reported gains. Assuming HMRC can’t see your crypto activity is a serious mistake.
What if I forgot to report crypto in previous years?
Come forward voluntarily via HMRC’s Voluntary Disclosure service. Voluntary disclosure attracts significantly lower penalties than HMRC-initiated investigations.
Are crypto-to-crypto swaps taxable?
Yes. Every time you swap one crypto for another (e.g., BTC to ETH on any exchange), you’ve disposed of the first asset for CGT purposes. This is often overlooked.
Is staking taxable?
Yes. Staking rewards are generally treated as income at the point of receipt. Check HMRC’s current guidance — there have been representations to treat staking differently.
What about foreign crypto exchanges?
HMRC’s rules apply to UK residents regardless of which exchange you use. Foreign-held crypto is still taxable in the UK.
Can I hold crypto in an ISA or SIPP?
No. Crypto cannot currently be held in an ISA or pension and gain the associated tax protections.
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