i What this calculator does
Works out the real profit on a Bitcoin or crypto trade after the exchange fee on both legs, your return on investment, and what SARS is likely to take. SARS treats crypto as an intangible asset: a long-term holding sold at a gain is a capital gain, with the first R50,000 of the year's gains excluded and 40% of the rest added to your income; active trading is revenue, with the whole profit taxed at your marginal rate. The calculator shows both so you can see how much the classification matters.
The classification is not a choice you make on the calculator; it is a conclusion SARS draws from how often you trade, how long you hold and what you intended. A trader who flips coins weekly will not get the capital treatment by selecting it here. The crypto tax articles on this site explain the tests.
A profit and tax estimate using the 2026/27 SARS tables. Whether your crypto gains are capital or revenue depends on your pattern of trading and intention, not on a single trade; the capital figure assumes your full R50,000 annual exclusion is available. Not tax advice.
See also: Dividend Withholding Tax Calculator and Estate Duty Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is crypto profit taxed in South Africa?
Yes. SARS taxes it as a capital gain or as revenue depending on your trading pattern. There is no tax-free threshold for crypto itself; the R50,000 annual exclusion applies to all capital gains combined.
How do I know if my gains are capital or revenue?
SARS looks at frequency, holding period, intention and whether you trade like a business. Occasional long-term holdings are usually capital; frequent trading is revenue. The calculator shows both so you can see the stakes.
Are exchange fees deductible?
Yes. Buy fees form part of the cost of the coins and sell fees reduce the proceeds, which is how the calculator treats them. Network fees on transfers are deductible in the same way.
What if I sold at a loss?
A capital loss offsets other capital gains in the year or carries forward; a revenue loss offsets other income. Keep the records either way.
Does swapping one coin for another count as a sale?
Yes. Any disposal, including a swap into another coin or a stablecoin, is a taxable event at the rand value on the day.
Does the calculator include CARF reporting?
It does not need to. From September 2026 licensed South African exchanges report your transactions to SARS under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, so the figures you declare should match theirs.
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