Crypto records for Australian tax
The ATO generally treats crypto as a capital gains tax asset, so it needs a record of every transaction, not just your sales.
What counts as a disposal
According to the ATO, disposals include selling crypto for AUD, swapping it for another crypto, gifting it, and using it to pay for things. Moving crypto between wallets you own isn't a disposal, but a fee paid in crypto is.
What to keep
For each transaction, the ATO asks for the date, its value in AUD at the time, what it was for and who the other party was (their wallet address is enough), plus receipts and exchange records. Keep transfers between your own wallets too, so you can show they weren't sales.
| Transaction | Keep |
|---|---|
| Buying with AUD | Date, AUD paid, the fee, and the exchange's receipt |
| Selling, swapping or spending | Date, what you gave up and received, its AUD value at the time, the fee, and the other party |
| Moving to your own wallet | Date, both addresses, the transaction ID, and any fee paid in crypto |
Keep each coin's records separately, since each is its own capital gains tax asset. The ATO asks you to keep records for at least five years after the capital gains event, such as the sale or swap.
Download your exports
Save each exchange's trade and transfer history regularly. An account can close, or an export format can change. The trade fee analyser can total the fees in an export; it reads the file in your browser and doesn't keep it.
Not tax advice
This is general information, not tax advice. For your own situation, read the ATO's guidance or ask a registered tax agent.
Check the fees in a trade export
Related guides
Further reading: Australian Taxation Office: keeping crypto records. Examples use round illustrative prices, not live quotes; the tools use live order books. General information, not financial, investment or tax advice.