UK cryptocurrency tax guide: everything you need to know

Are you experienced in investing in cryptocurrency? Is it completely new to you? Or maybe you are just intrigued by the prospect of investing?

Whatever your situation, before you delve deeper into the world of cryptocurrency or bitcoin, it’s wise to understand how HMRC taxes them. 

If you don’t have time to read HMRC’s full guidance for those with crypto assets, which you can find here, our comprehensive guide offers a closer look into everything you need to know about UK cryptocurrency taxes.

Do you have to pay taxes on crypto?  

Yes, for most crypto investors. There are some exceptions to the rules, however.

Crypto assets aren’t considered money or currency by key financial institutions. From a tax perspective, crypto assets are treated like shares and will be taxed accordingly.  

Crypto traders and investors need to be aware of the wide array of transactions ranging from basic purchase and sell orders all the way through to hard forks, airdrops, staking and more.

The crypto industry is developing rapidly, and the position on tax has inevitably become more complicated.

The emergence of complex cryptocurrency-like gaming and gambling platforms, as well as non-fungible tokens and hybrid tokens for specific purposes, has changed the asset class.   

If you are not a UK tax resident or do not have a domicile in the UK, then you may benefit from more favourable tax rules. 

When do you pay tax on crypto? 

There are several activities associated with cryptocurrency that you will be taxed on: 

Buying and selling crypto 

• If you’ve sold your crypto for more than you bought it, you’ll likely pay capital gains tax (CGT) on the profit.

• If you lose money through trading, those losses could minimise your CGT bill. It’s also important to remember that swapping cryptocurrencies will trigger a capital gains taxable event as you will be selling crypto to other investors or liquidity pools.

• If you’re frequently trading large amounts crypto or your activities are classed as ‘exceptional’ by HMRC, you may be classed as a trader and need to pay income tax on trading, rather than CGT. This is unusual for everyday investors.

Paid in crypto 

• Regardless of the cryptocurrency you’re paid in, or who pays you, you’ll have to pay income tax and national insurance (NI) contributions. 

Crypto you inherit 

• HMRC treats cryptocurrency as property under UK tax law. 

Mining and validating 

Mining cryptocurrency will either be considered a hobby or a fully-fledged business. This will depend on several factors:  

1. Organisation 

2. Risk 

3. Degree of activity  

4. Commerciality  

Here’s a quick comparison of the tax difference between mining as a business or hobby:

Staking 

Staking is where you receive a reward, often extra tokens, for locking away crypto assets for a certain period.

According to HMRC, the fair market value of any tokens awarded at the time of receipt will be taxable as crypto income with any reasonable expenses reducing the chargeable amount.

If you later dispose of tokens, you may be charged CGT, based on the gain in value while you held the tokens.

Speak with a tax accountant if you consider this, as CGT rules may apply if you dispose of it at a later date. 

How much tax do you pay on crypto/crypto gains? 

Income tax 

For most crypto buying and selling, CGT will apply. However, Income tax is applied if HMRC considers it a trade.

HMRC looks at a range of factors to determine if you are a trader, including frequency, organisation and your intention.

Individuals are unlikely to meet the description of a ‘trader’ for income tax purposes if trading on their own account, meaning they will likely be considered under the CGT regime. 

To fall into the definition of ‘trading’, you would need to buy and sell crypto assets with such intention, sophistication, frequency and level, or organisation that the activity amounts to a financial trade.

If you meet the trading threshold, net profits will be subject to income tax at 20%, 40% and 45% (based on the tax bracket your income falls into) and national insurance at 10% and 2%.  

Any money made from crypto as an income will count towards your income tax: 0% to 45% depending on your tax band in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or if you’re in Scotland – which has two more bands – a 19% starter rate and 21% intermediate rate.

Capital gains tax 

In most cases, anyone buying, holding and selling cryptocurrency on their own account is considered to be undertaking investment activity and is subject to CGT. 

Disposing of crypto assets will result in a taxable event, with the value of any disposal proceeds matched against purchases in a specific order: 

1. Crypto assets acquired on the same day 

2. Crypto assets acquired in the following 30 days 

3. The average cost of any unmatched crypto assets (‘the pool’) 

Individuals pay CGT on their total gains above an annual tax-free allowance of £3,000.

Any gains above this allowance will be taxed at 18% if you fall within the basic rate tax band (after your taxable gain is taken into account) or 24% if you’re in the higher rate tax bracket. 

Can I avoid paying tax on crypto? 

There are some instances in which individuals will not need to pay tax on crypto.

Using your CGT allowance 

For individual investors who pay CGT on crypto sales, you can use your annual CGT allowance to reduce your tax bill.

Each year, you get a £3,000 CGT allowance and total gains (including both crypto and shares) under this amount won’t be charged.

You can use this allowance to gradually sell crypto assets, while keeping under the tax limit.  

Airdrops 

Income tax will not be applied to airdropped crypto if: 

• They aren’t accepted as part of a trade or business involving crypto

• They’re received without doing anything in exchange 

However, if airdrops are received in return for carrying out a service, they will be subject to income tax and classed as miscellaneous income, or trading profits (if you are a business). 

If a crypto trader or business receives an airdrop, any valuation increase will be added to the trading profits and will be subject to income tax, as well as NI contributions.

But if an individual receives an airdrop, that will be subject to CGT at the time of the disposal.  

Similarly, the following crypto transactions aren’t subject to CGT or income tax in the UK: 

• ‘HODL’ing crypto – essentially intending to hold your crypto for as long as you possibly can

• Transferring crypto between your own wallets

• Buying crypto with fiat currency, e.g., GBP

• Gifting crypto to a spouse 

How to pay tax on crypto 

Crypto investors need to report gains on cryptocurrency on their annual self-assessment tax return or they can use HMRC’s real-time CGT reporting service to pay tax.

Accurate record-keeping is really important for anyone who is self-employed, and crypto investors are one such group who also need to keep accurate records for tax purposes too.  

HMRC says crypto investors must declare the following: 

• The type of tokens

• Date you disposed of them

• Number of tokens you’ve disposed of

• Number of tokens you have left

• Value of the tokens in pound sterling

• Bank statements and wallet addresses

• Records of the pooled costs before and after you disposed of them 

Get expert financial advice

Navigating the complexities of crypto taxation can be challenging, especially with evolving rules and allowances.

Seeking professional financial advice can provide clarity, help minimise your tax liabilities, and ensure you make informed decisions about your cryptocurrency investments.

If you’re unsure what you need to declare, Unbiased can quickly match you with a qualified financial adviser who may be able to help.