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2023-03-31

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
Mar 31
,
 
2023
 - 
10
min read

Product update - 6th June 2022

At Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator), we are constantly working on improving our product so you can have the best experience at tax time. Check out our blog for the latest product updates.

Key takeaways
This tax guide is regularly updated: Last Update  

New Features

New Category: Bridge

We have added the ability to manually categorize bridging transactions. For every bridging transaction, the cost base of the asset on Blockchain A will be transferred to Blockchain B.

If you’d like to read about the fine details of the newly implemented Bridge category, please read this help document. The key details can also be found below:

  • For every Bridge In, there must be a Bridge Out, and vice versa

  • The asset sent and the asset received from the bridge do not have to be the same asset - however their value must be equivalent

Saved blockchain addresses

Do you frequently interact with a particular address or smart contract? Would you like to be able to name the wallet which you’re interacting with, without having to import its transaction data?

You are now able to name blockchain addresses by simply clicking on any unknown blockchain address visible in the review transactions page. Upon clicking on the address, a pop-up will appear to save this known wallet. You are also able to rename and delete any saved addresses.

Dashboard now shows reported balance + new holdings dropdown

Previously, the figures on the Dashboard page were the Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) Calculated Balances. After this most recent update, the dashboard now shows your Reported Holdings where possible. Reported Holdings refers to the value and amount of currencies being held by your wallet/exchange according to the wallet/exchange themselves.

The difference between these 2 values can now be found on the balance dropdown for reconciliation purposes, see the image above. Not only is this dropdown also accessible for each wallet/exchange on the Import Data page, but also for each asset on the Dashboard.

As a part of this update, the Display Import Balance toggle in the settings page has been removed, since this data is now visible via the import balance dropdown.

Import all EVM addresses at once

When you are importing an EVM wallet, you are now given the ability to import all of your EVM wallets (Arbitrum, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, Cronos, Ethereum, Fantom, Optimism, Polygon, xDai).

If the toggle is enabled, we will import every EVM chain with transactions for that particular address, and ignore the EVM chains without any. This toggle does not impact syncing, hard-syncing or deleting wallets.

Support for Coinbase API imports

Coinbase users are now able to import their Coinbase transaction data via CSV, API and OAuth connection. If you have multiple Coinbase accounts to import into Summ, you are now able to do so via our new API integration, as you can add multiple API keys. Note that you are only able to select one of these three import methods.

NFT Royalties tax toggle

You are now able to select whether incoming NFT Royalties should be treated as income or not for tax purposes. We recommend getting professional tax advice if you are unsure of what setting this toggle should be on.

Accountants can now create + invite clients for free

Rather than having to pay upon generating a new client, accountants are now able to create new clients for free. Payment is only required once accountants wish to generate a client’s report. This means that accountants are now able to invite their client, import their data, review their transactions and collaborate with their client before making any payment.

If the accountant then invites an already paying Summ user, the user will continue being billed despite both the accountant and client now having the ability to access the client’s data, including the Get Report page. No need to pay twice.

Integrations

Since our last product newsletter, we have added support for the following exchanges:

  • Support for FTX US NFTs via both API and CSV

  • Support for Kucoin margin trades

  • Support for BTC .com.au's new CSV format

  • Support for Coinbase Pro's new CSV format

  • Support for Coinlist's new CSV format

  • Support for Bitso CSV

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

06 June 2022

X

 Min read

Product update - 6th June 2022

At Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator), we are constantly working on improving our product so you can have the best experience at tax time. Check out our blog for the latest product updates.

Shane Brunette

This tax guide is regularly updated: Last Update 

....

March

31

2023

New Features

New Category: Bridge

We have added the ability to manually categorize bridging transactions. For every bridging transaction, the cost base of the asset on Blockchain A will be transferred to Blockchain B.

If you’d like to read about the fine details of the newly implemented Bridge category, please read this help document. The key details can also be found below:

  • For every Bridge In, there must be a Bridge Out, and vice versa

  • The asset sent and the asset received from the bridge do not have to be the same asset - however their value must be equivalent

Saved blockchain addresses

Do you frequently interact with a particular address or smart contract? Would you like to be able to name the wallet which you’re interacting with, without having to import its transaction data?

You are now able to name blockchain addresses by simply clicking on any unknown blockchain address visible in the review transactions page. Upon clicking on the address, a pop-up will appear to save this known wallet. You are also able to rename and delete any saved addresses.

Dashboard now shows reported balance + new holdings dropdown

Previously, the figures on the Dashboard page were the Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) Calculated Balances. After this most recent update, the dashboard now shows your Reported Holdings where possible. Reported Holdings refers to the value and amount of currencies being held by your wallet/exchange according to the wallet/exchange themselves.

The difference between these 2 values can now be found on the balance dropdown for reconciliation purposes, see the image above. Not only is this dropdown also accessible for each wallet/exchange on the Import Data page, but also for each asset on the Dashboard.

As a part of this update, the Display Import Balance toggle in the settings page has been removed, since this data is now visible via the import balance dropdown.

Import all EVM addresses at once

When you are importing an EVM wallet, you are now given the ability to import all of your EVM wallets (Arbitrum, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, Cronos, Ethereum, Fantom, Optimism, Polygon, xDai).

If the toggle is enabled, we will import every EVM chain with transactions for that particular address, and ignore the EVM chains without any. This toggle does not impact syncing, hard-syncing or deleting wallets.

Support for Coinbase API imports

Coinbase users are now able to import their Coinbase transaction data via CSV, API and OAuth connection. If you have multiple Coinbase accounts to import into Summ, you are now able to do so via our new API integration, as you can add multiple API keys. Note that you are only able to select one of these three import methods.

NFT Royalties tax toggle

You are now able to select whether incoming NFT Royalties should be treated as income or not for tax purposes. We recommend getting professional tax advice if you are unsure of what setting this toggle should be on.

Accountants can now create + invite clients for free

Rather than having to pay upon generating a new client, accountants are now able to create new clients for free. Payment is only required once accountants wish to generate a client’s report. This means that accountants are now able to invite their client, import their data, review their transactions and collaborate with their client before making any payment.

If the accountant then invites an already paying Summ user, the user will continue being billed despite both the accountant and client now having the ability to access the client’s data, including the Get Report page. No need to pay twice.

Integrations

Since our last product newsletter, we have added support for the following exchanges:

  • Support for FTX US NFTs via both API and CSV

  • Support for Kucoin margin trades

  • Support for BTC .com.au's new CSV format

  • Support for Coinbase Pro's new CSV format

  • Support for Coinlist's new CSV format

  • Support for Bitso CSV

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Frequently asked questions

How is crypto tax calculated in Japan?

Under current rules, crypto profits are treated as miscellaneous income and taxed at progressive rates from 5% to 45%, plus a 10% inhabitant tax, producing a combined effective rate of 15% to 55%. Mining, staking, and airdrop rewards are taxable as miscellaneous income. Losses can only offset other miscellaneous gains in the same year and cannot be carried forward. Japan's 2026 Tax Reform Outline (released December 2025) proposes a flat 20% separate self-assessment rate on "specified crypto assets" handled by registered exchanges, plus a three-year loss carry-forward. Implementation is expected for the 2027 or 2028 tax year, pending approval. Staking rewards, lending yields, and NFTs are not covered by the reform and would remain taxed as miscellaneous income at progressive rates.

I lost money trading cryptocurrency. Do I still pay tax?

The way cryptocurrencies are taxed in most countries mean that investors might still need to pay tax, regardless of whether they made an overall profit or loss. Depending on your circumstances, taxes are usually realized at the time of the transaction, and not on the overall position at the end of the financial year.

How do I calculate tax on crypto-to-crypto transactions?

In most countries you are required to record the value of the cryptocurrency in your local currency at the time of the transaction. This can be extremely time consuming to do by hand, since most exchange records do not have a reference price point, and records between exchanges are not easily compatible.

How can Summ help with crypto taxes?

You just need to import your transaction history and Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) will help you categorize your transactions and calculate realized profit and income. You can then generate the appropriate reports to send to your accountant and keep detailed records handy for audit purposes.

Can't I just get my accountant to do this for me?

We always recommend you work with your accountant to review your records. If you would like your accountant to help reconcile transactions, you can invite them to the product and collaborate within the Summ web app. We also have a complete accountant suite aimed at accountants.

Does Summ handle non-exchange activity?

Summ (formerly Crypto Tax Calculator) handles all non-exchange activity, such as onchain transactions like Airdrops, Staking, Mining, ICOs, and other DeFi activity. No matter what activity you have done in crypto, we have you covered with our easy to use categorization feature, similar to Expensify.

Do I have to pay for historical tax reports?

Our subscription pricing is per year not tax year, so with an annual subscription you can calculate your crypto taxes as far back as 2013. The process is the same, just upload your transaction history from these years and we can handle the rest.

Can I use my own accountant?

Yes, Summ 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.

How does payment work?

Summ has 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.

What if my exchange is not on the list of supported exchanges?

Summ covers thousands of exchanges, wallets, and blockchains, and DeFi apps, but if you do not see your exchange on the supported list we are more than happy to work with you to get it supported. Just reach out to [email protected] or via the in-app chat support feature and we will get you sorted.

Does Summ support NFT transactions?

We do! Summ integrates with many NFT marketplaces and offers categorization options for any NFT-related activity (minting, buying, selling, trading).

How does the free trial work?

Summ is free to use immediately upon signup, allowing you to import your transactions and take advantage of our smart suggestion and auto-categorization 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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Full data privacy

Our application only ever requires 'read-only' access to your data.