Your Crypto Year

Held as an investment — taxed under the Eighth Schedule at a maximum effective rate of 18%.

The year of assessment in which you disposed of the crypto asset (1 March – 28/29 February).
Everything you got for the crypto you disposed of this year. A swap of one crypto asset for another is a disposal too — use the market value of what you received. So is paying for goods or services in crypto.
R
The cost of the crypto you disposed of. For capital holdings this is your base cost, worked out by specific identification or FIFO — the weighted-average method is not available for crypto. For revenue holdings it is the cost deductible under section 11(a)/section 22.
R
Trading, brokerage and network fees on the buy and the sell. These add to your base cost (capital) or are deducted from income (revenue).
R
The market value, when you received it, of crypto earned from mining, staking or airdrops you worked for. SARS treats these as revenue in nature and includes them in gross income — whichever way your disposals are treated. Leave at 0 if you earned none.
R
Your annual taxable income from salary and other sources. This sets the marginal rate at which the crypto profit is taxed.
R
Age determines your primary, secondary, or tertiary tax rebate.
Under 6565–7475+
35 years old

Not sure which applies?

Tick what is true of you. These are the factors SARS weighs to decide whether your crypto is capital or revenue in nature.

Your own stated reason for acquiring and disposing of the crypto asset (your ipse dixit). SARS treats this as the starting point, but it is not decisive without objective support.
Frequency of involvement in similar transactions. A high number of disposals across many different crypto assets points strongly to a revenue (trading) intention.
The length of time held, and the period you anticipated holding it at acquisition. Note there is no three-year rule for crypto — section 9C applies only to equity shares.
Your conduct and activities in relation to the asset. Regular research and monitoring in order to capitalise on market movements points to a scheme of profit-making.
The nature of your business or occupation. If dealing in crypto assets forms part of what you do for a living, receipts are far more likely to be revenue in nature.

Tick the ones that apply to you

SARS is explicit that no single factor decides it — they are weighed in aggregate, case by case, and your stated intention needs objective support. There is no three-year rule for crypto.

Estimate only, for individuals (not companies or trusts). Whether your crypto is capital or revenue in nature is a question of fact that only SARS or a court can settle — this tool models both, it does not decide. It assumes a single year of disposals with no assessed loss brought forward, and does not cover VAT, donations tax, crypto arbitrage, De-Fi, hard forks, employment paid in crypto, or the 45-day identical-asset rule in paragraph 42. SARS's crypto guide was still in draft at the time of writing. Consult a registered tax professional for your situation.

Tax on Your Crypto

R 12 170

On a profit of R 145 000, taxed as a capital gain.

You Keep

R 132 830

Effective Rate

8.4%

Marginal Rate

31%

2027 (Mar 2026 – Feb 2027)Capital — Eighth Schedule

What the Treatment Costs You

Getting it wrong costs R 38 520 — revenue treatment is that much dearer.

Detailed Calculation

Disposal ValueR 400 000
Less: Base Cost− R 250 000
Less: Fees & Other Costs− R 5 000
Profit on DisposalR 145 000
Less: Annual Exclusion (R 50 000)− R 50 000
Net Capital GainR 95 000
Inclusion Rate (40%)R 38 000
Total TaxR 12 170
Taxed at your marginal rate on the included gain — max effective CGT rate is 18%.

Five SARS Rules That Catch People Out

Every swap is a disposal

Trading BTC for Ethereum is a barter transaction. The tax event happens at the swap, at market value — it is not deferred until you cash out to rands.

There is no three-year rule

The section 9C rule that deems shares held three years to be capital does not apply to crypto assets. Every disposal is judged on its own facts.

Personal crypto is not a personal-use asset

Crypto assets are financial instruments, and paragraph 53(3)(e) excludes them from the personal-use asset exemption. Holding it for yourself does not put it outside CGT.

Mining and staking are income when received

Rewards go into gross income at their market value on the day they land in your wallet — before you have sold anything, and whichever way your disposals are treated.

Base cost is FIFO or specific identification

You may pick which units you sold, or use first-in-first-out. The weighted-average method is not available, because crypto exchanges are not recognised exchanges.