Gifting crypto in Australia is treated as a disposal at market value — meaning CGT may apply even though no money changes hands. This guide covers the rules, worked examples, and the few exceptions that apply.
Many people assume that if no money changes hands, there's no tax. This is incorrect under Australian law. The ATO treats a gift of crypto as a disposal — you are deemed to have sold the crypto at its market value on the date of the gift, regardless of the fact that you received nothing in return.
This means a capital gain (or loss) arises if the market value on the gift date is higher (or lower) than your original cost base. That gain is subject to CGT in your hands, not the recipient's.
| Step | Detail | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cost base | What you originally paid for the crypto (including fees) | $3,000 |
| 2. Market value at gift date | AUD value on the day you transferred it | $9,500 |
| 3. Gross capital gain | Market value minus cost base | $6,500 |
| 4. 50% CGT discount | Applies if held more than 12 months | −$3,250 |
| 5. Taxable capital gain | Added to your income and taxed at marginal rate | $3,250 |
To determine the market value on the gift date, you'll need the AUD price of the crypto at that specific date and time. Most major exchanges publish historical price data, and some crypto tax software can calculate this automatically.
The recipient does not pay tax when they receive the crypto gift. Australia does not have a gift tax. However, the gift establishes a cost base for the recipient's own future CGT obligations:
Spouse transfers: In limited circumstances, transferring a CGT asset to a spouse may be done at cost base (rather than market value) under the marriage/de facto rollover provisions — meaning no immediate CGT is triggered. However, this is a technical area with specific conditions, and the gain is merely deferred rather than eliminated. Speak with a registered tax agent before structuring a spousal transfer specifically to defer a gain.
Inheritance: When crypto is passed on through a deceased estate, no CGT is triggered at the time of death. The beneficiary acquires the crypto with specific cost base and timing rules that depend on when the deceased originally acquired it. This is an area where the rules are nuanced and professional advice is worth obtaining.
Donating crypto to a registered Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) organisation has two potential tax effects:
For each crypto gift you give, keep records of:
Enter your cost base and the market value at the gift date to see your capital gain and estimated tax.
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