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2026-05-21

How Investing vs Trading impacts tax

In most cases of buying and selling cryptocurrency as a retail investor, you are participating in investing rather than trading. The two are treated differently for tax purposes.

  • Investing is subject to capital gains tax or income tax, depending on the nature of the transaction.
  • Trading in this case refers to self-employment which is subject to income tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The key difference between investing and trading – along with the different tax treatments, is how losses generated in the crypto-activity can be used.

In their guidance, HMRC have explicitly stated that they would expect it to be exceedingly rare that any crypto-activity constituting buying & selling crypto would be classified as “trading”.

If you are uncertain, speak to a tax advisor as there are always exceptions, including but not limited to, developing tokens and large scale mining.

How is crypto tax calculated in the United States?

You can be liable for both capital gains and income tax depending on the type of cryptocurrency transaction, and your individual circumstances. For example, you might need to pay capital gains on profits from buying and selling cryptocurrency, or pay income tax on interest earned when holding crypto.

CoinLedger

CoinLedger is an accessible crypto tax platform with over 1,000 exchange and wallet integrations.

Best for: Users who want a simple, straightforward experience without complex DeFi needs.

Key differentiator: Offers an unlimited transaction plan for high-volume traders at a fixed price.

Pricing: $49 (100 transactions) to $499+ (10,000+ transactions).

Limitation: Does not generate Schedule D forms - you will need to complete this manually or with other software.

Notable: Strong NFT support with OpenSea integration.

CoinTracker

CoinTracker is a portfolio tracker and tax calculator supporting over 30,000 cryptocurrencies.

Best for: Users who prioritize portfolio tracking alongside tax reporting.

Key differentiator: Direct integrations with TurboTax and H&R Block Desktop.

Pricing: $59 (100 transactions) to $599 (10,000 transactions), with full-service options up to $3,499.

Limitation: Customer support is limited on lower-tier plans - priority support requires the $599 Ultra plan.

Notable: Good security with end-to-end encryption and SOC 2 compliance.

ZenLedger

ZenLedger offers both DIY crypto tax reports and professional full-service accounting.

Best for: Users who want tax loss harvesting included at every pricing tier.

Key differentiator: Tax loss harvesting is available on all plans, not just premium tiers.

Pricing: $49 (100 transactions) to $399 (15,000 transactions).

Limitation: Only offers 400+ exchange integrations - significantly fewer than competitors. Some users report customer support issues with long wait times.

Notable: TurboTax integration and 14-day refund policy.

blog
May 21
,
 
2026
 - 
10
min read

Essential tax resources for Aussie crypto users

We’ve got Aussie crypto users covered with all the resources they need for tax time. Check out our blog post for more info.

Key takeaways
This tax guide is regularly updated: Last Update  

The early bird gets the worm, and the reduced stress levels come tax time! To help you get ahead of the game for the Australian tax season, we’ve put together a list of some essential resources that’ll get you started. July 1st, come at us!

ATO Cryptocurrency Guidelines

The ATO is one of the few tax regulatory bodies around the world that has already provided a clear list of guidelines as to how the majority of cryptocurrency transactions are treated from a tax perspective. Here’s a list of every type of transaction currently outlined by the ATO, and what type of tax will apply.

In particular, they cover:

For crypto activity that isn’t currently covered in their official guidelines, they provide advice from ATO employees in their Community Knowledge Hub. If the answer to your question isn’t already provided there, you can work with your accountant to reach a decision on how best to treat crypto activity that lies outside the ATO’s current guidelines.

Australian Crypto Tax Guide

We know how important it is to have a comprehensive understanding of something as complex as crypto tax, so we’ve put together a 2026 Australian Crypto Tax Guide for you! This guide was written with the assistance of Australian tax professionals so that you can have added confidence in the information provided. It covers everything from crypto to crypto swaps, lending and borrowing crypto, NFTs, staking, airdrops, and more.

Read our 2026 Australian Crypto Tax Guide now.

myTax tutorial

MyTax is the ATO’s online portal for filing individual tax returns. You’ll need to report any crypto activity that has an impact on your income and capital gains amounts if filing via this portal. Both categories (CGT and income) will need to be updated with your relevant crypto values in your annual tax return.

MyTax has a handy tutorial and tutorial video section which outlines how to personalise your tax return step-by-step.

Working with H&R Block

We have a long standing partnership with H&R Block. H&R Block give their clients the ability to do their taxes either online or in-person, offering guidance and accountancy support throughout the entire process. If flying solo on your crypto tax return isn’t your preferred option, you can work with an accountant at H&R Block to make sure you’re doing everything necessary to stay compliant this tax season.

Summ for record-keeping

As you can imagine, keeping records of every single crypto transaction you do, as well as the equivalent value in Australian dollars, can be an overwhelming prospect. That’s why we exist! Our platform is designed to help you at tax time by giving you the ability to import your data from hundreds of exchanges, wallets and chains like CoinSpot, CoinJar, Coinbase, Binance, Swyftx and more. Our algorithm will then auto-categorise the majority of these transactions, providing you with a view of any outstanding instances that need your attention. You will then be able to download a report that outlines your capital gains, losses, income and more. Not only will using our solution save you time (and stress!), it will also ensure you have the most accurate possible crypto tax report come tax time.

Ready to get your crypto tax sorted?

Sign up to Summ and upload your transaction history. We'll calculate your gains, losses, and tax position, then generate a report ready for your accountant or the ATO.

The information provided on this website is general in nature and is not tax, accounting or legal advice. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs and seek professional advice. Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) disclaims all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and is not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or Consequential Loss or damage) arising out of, or in connection with, any use or reliance on the information or advice in this website. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material on this site, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied. The information in this website is no substitute for specialist advice.

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Try Summ today

Import your transactions and generate a free report preview.

Blog

24 March 2022

X

 Min read

Essential tax resources for Aussie crypto users

We’ve got Aussie crypto users covered with all the resources they need for tax time. Check out our blog post for more info.

Shane Brunette

This tax guide is regularly updated: Last Update 

....

May

21

2026

The early bird gets the worm, and the reduced stress levels come tax time! To help you get ahead of the game for the Australian tax season, we’ve put together a list of some essential resources that’ll get you started. July 1st, come at us!

ATO Cryptocurrency Guidelines

The ATO is one of the few tax regulatory bodies around the world that has already provided a clear list of guidelines as to how the majority of cryptocurrency transactions are treated from a tax perspective. Here’s a list of every type of transaction currently outlined by the ATO, and what type of tax will apply.

In particular, they cover:

For crypto activity that isn’t currently covered in their official guidelines, they provide advice from ATO employees in their Community Knowledge Hub. If the answer to your question isn’t already provided there, you can work with your accountant to reach a decision on how best to treat crypto activity that lies outside the ATO’s current guidelines.

Australian Crypto Tax Guide

We know how important it is to have a comprehensive understanding of something as complex as crypto tax, so we’ve put together a 2026 Australian Crypto Tax Guide for you! This guide was written with the assistance of Australian tax professionals so that you can have added confidence in the information provided. It covers everything from crypto to crypto swaps, lending and borrowing crypto, NFTs, staking, airdrops, and more.

Read our 2026 Australian Crypto Tax Guide now.

myTax tutorial

MyTax is the ATO’s online portal for filing individual tax returns. You’ll need to report any crypto activity that has an impact on your income and capital gains amounts if filing via this portal. Both categories (CGT and income) will need to be updated with your relevant crypto values in your annual tax return.

MyTax has a handy tutorial and tutorial video section which outlines how to personalise your tax return step-by-step.

Working with H&R Block

We have a long standing partnership with H&R Block. H&R Block give their clients the ability to do their taxes either online or in-person, offering guidance and accountancy support throughout the entire process. If flying solo on your crypto tax return isn’t your preferred option, you can work with an accountant at H&R Block to make sure you’re doing everything necessary to stay compliant this tax season.

Summ for record-keeping

As you can imagine, keeping records of every single crypto transaction you do, as well as the equivalent value in Australian dollars, can be an overwhelming prospect. That’s why we exist! Our platform is designed to help you at tax time by giving you the ability to import your data from hundreds of exchanges, wallets and chains like CoinSpot, CoinJar, Coinbase, Binance, Swyftx and more. Our algorithm will then auto-categorise the majority of these transactions, providing you with a view of any outstanding instances that need your attention. You will then be able to download a report that outlines your capital gains, losses, income and more. Not only will using our solution save you time (and stress!), it will also ensure you have the most accurate possible crypto tax report come tax time.

Ready to get your crypto tax sorted?

Sign up to Summ and upload your transaction history. We'll calculate your gains, losses, and tax position, then generate a report ready for your accountant or the ATO.

Discover savings opportunities and lower your tax with Summ

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Frequently asked questions

How is crypto tax calculated in Australia?

You can be liable for both capital gains and income tax depending on the type of cryptocurrency transaction, and your individual circumstances. For example, you might need to pay capital gains on profits from buying and selling cryptocurrency, or pay income tax on interest earned when holding crypto.

How does payment work?

We have an annual subscription which covers all previous tax years. If you need to amend your tax return for previous years you will be covered under the one payment.

Can I use my own accountant?

Yes, Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) is designed to generate accountant friendly tax reports. You simply import all your transaction history and export your report. This means you can get your books up to date yourself, allowing you to save significant time, and reduce the bill charged by your accountant. You can discuss tax scenarios with your accountant, and have them review the report.

Do you support NFT transactions?

We do! We have integrations with many NFT marketplaces, as well as categorisation options for any NFT related activity (minting, buying, selling, trading).

How does the free trial work?

The platform is free to use immediately upon signup, allowing you to import your transactions and take advantage of our smart suggestion and auto-categorisation engine, portfolio tracking, DeFi and NFT support. For access to reports, the tax loss harvest tool or chat and priority support, you will need to upgrade to the appropriate paid plan.

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