Crypto Tax & Capital Gains Calculator

This free crypto tax calculator gives you a quick estimate of the capital gain on a sale and the tax you might owe on it. Enter what you paid (your cost basis), what you sold for, and the capital-gains rate that applies to you, and it does the arithmetic instantly. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.

Important: This is a simplified educational estimate, not tax advice. Crypto tax rules vary by country and depend on your income and holding period. Consult a qualified tax professional before filing.

Cost basis (USD) what you paid

Sale proceeds (USD) what you sold for

Capital gains tax rate (%)

Fees (USD) (optional)

Calculate

A loss is shown as a negative gain and is not taxed here. Rules for using losses vary by country. Not financial or tax advice.

How to Use the Crypto Tax Calculator

Enter your cost basis, which is the total you paid to acquire the crypto including any purchase fees, and your sale proceeds, the amount you received when you sold. Add the capital-gains tax rate that applies to your situation, and optionally any selling fees. The calculator shows your capital gain, an estimate of the tax on it, and what is left over after tax.

The Formula Behind It

• Capital gain = sale proceeds − cost basis − fees
• Estimated tax = capital gain × tax rate % (only when the gain is positive)
• Profit after tax = capital gain − estimated tax

If your cost basis is higher than your proceeds, the gain is negative — a capital loss — and no tax is applied to it here. In many places that loss can be used to offset other gains, but the exact treatment depends on your jurisdiction.

A Worked Example

Imagine you bought crypto for $5,000, later sold it for $8,000, paid $50 in fees, and your capital-gains rate is 15%. Your capital gain is 8,000 − 5,000 − 50 = $2,950. The estimated tax is 2,950 × 15% = $442.50, leaving a profit after tax of $2,507.50. If instead you had held longer than a year and qualified for a lower long-term rate, the same gain could be taxed less — one reason holding period matters.

Why Track This Before You Sell

Knowing the after-tax number changes decisions. A trade that looks great on paper can shrink once tax is taken into account, and in some countries holding just past the one-year mark moves you into a lower rate. Planning around that is where tools help. For the full picture, read our guide to crypto taxes for beginners, and if you are tracking crypto alongside the rest of your money, CustomWorth helps you see your complete net worth in one place.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting that swaps are taxable. Trading one coin for another is usually a disposal, even if you never touched cash.
• Ignoring your cost basis. Without an accurate record of what you paid, you cannot prove your gain and may overpay.
• Overlooking holding period. Short-term and long-term gains can be taxed very differently.
• Assuming one country's rules apply everywhere. Rates, thresholds, and loss rules differ widely, so use the rate that fits you.

Practice Before You Trade for Real

Understanding the after-tax result of a trade is part of trading well. With CustomCrypto, you can practise buying and selling across 38 cryptocurrencies at real market prices using virtual money, so you learn how gains build before any real money — or tax — is involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is crypto taxed?

In most countries, selling, swapping, or spending cryptocurrency is a taxable event, and any gain is treated as a capital gain. Your gain is the sale proceeds minus what you originally paid, known as your cost basis, minus any fees. Whether you owe tax, and at what rate, depends on your country, your income, and how long you held the asset. Simply buying and holding crypto is usually not taxable until you sell or dispose of it.

What is the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains?

In the United States, assets held for one year or less are taxed as short-term gains at your ordinary income tax rate, while assets held longer than a year qualify for lower long-term capital gains rates. Holding a little longer can therefore reduce the tax on a winning trade. Other countries have their own rules and holding-period thresholds, so enter the rate that applies to you.

Can I use crypto losses to reduce my taxes?

In many jurisdictions, capital losses can offset capital gains and sometimes a limited amount of ordinary income, which lowers your overall tax bill. Deliberately realising losses to offset gains is often called tax-loss harvesting. This calculator shows a loss as a negative capital gain and does not apply tax to it, but the exact rules for using that loss depend on where you live.

Is my data saved or sent anywhere?

No. This calculator runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you type is saved or sent to any server. When you close the tab, the numbers are gone. That matches CustomCrypto's privacy-first approach: your data stays on your device.