UK Crypto CGT Calculator 2026/27: Section 104 Pool, 30-Day Rule, Rates
UK Capital Gains Tax on crypto for 2026/27: section 104 pooling, the same-day and 30-day rules, the £3,000 exempt amount and the 18% and 24% rates.
Overview - UK CGT on crypto
HMRC treats exchange tokens as chargeable assets for Capital Gains Tax under the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (CRYPTO22050). Selling tokens for money, exchanging them for a different token, using them to pay for goods or services and giving them away other than to a spouse or civil partner are disposals (CRYPTO22100). The gain is proceeds minus allowable cost, with cost taken from the section 104 pool. For 2026/27 the rate is 18% on gains within your unused basic rate band and 24% above it, after the £3,000 annual exempt amount (per GOV.UK Capital Gains Tax rates).
Tokens received from mining or staking that is not a trade are taxed as miscellaneous income at their sterling value when received, and airdrops received in return for a service are also income (CRYPTO21150, CRYPTO21200, CRYPTO21250). The amount charged to Income Tax is not taxed again when you later dispose of the tokens; only any further gain is.
You must report and pay if your total taxable gains exceed the exempt amount. If you are registered for Self Assessment you must also report gains when your total disposal proceeds were more than £50,000, even if no tax is due (per GOV.UK). Losses have to be reported before they can be used. HMRC notes that exchange reports are not tax calculations and do not track pooled costs, so you need your own records.
Worked example - BTC pool calculation
An investor accumulates Bitcoin through four purchases between 2021 and 2024, then disposes of 0.8 BTC at £65,000/BTC during 2026/27. There are no same-day or 30-day acquisitions, so the whole disposal comes from the section 104 pool. The investor's other income already uses the whole basic rate band, so the gain is taxed at 24%.
| Date | Units | Total cost | Cumulative units | Cumulative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-15 | 0.5 | £12,000 | 0.50 | £12,000 |
| 2021-11-08 | 0.25 | £12,000 | 0.75 | £24,000 |
| 2023-06-22 | 0.3 | £7,500 | 1.05 | £31,500 |
| 2024-12-10 | 0.2 | £14,000 | 1.25 | £45,500 |
| Final pool | 1.25 BTC | £45,500 | Average cost £36,400 per BTC. | |
Disposal in 2026/27: 0.8 BTC × £65,000 = £52,000 proceeds. Pooled cost of the units sold: 0.8 BTC × £36,400 = £29,120. Gain: £22,880. After the £3,000 exempt amount: £19,880 taxable. At 24%: £4,771 tax. Net proceeds after tax: £47,229. The remaining 0.45 BTC stays in the pool with pooled cost £16,380. Transaction fees, which are allowable costs, are ignored here for simplicity.
Same-day and 30-day matching rules
Two rules are applied before the section 104 pool (per HMRC CRYPTO22200):
- Same-day rule (TCGA 1992 s.105) - all acquisitions of a token on one day are treated as a single acquisition and all disposals as a single disposal, and they are matched with each other first. A trader who buys 1 BTC for £40,000 and sells 0.5 BTC for £21,000 on the same day uses £20,000 as the cost of the 0.5 BTC sold, a gain of £1,000. The remaining 0.5 BTC is then considered for the 30-day rule and, if that does not apply, enters the pool.
- 30-day rule (TCGA 1992 s.106A) - if you dispose of tokens and acquire tokens of the same type within the next 30 days, the later acquisition is matched with the earlier disposal (earliest disposal first) and those tokens do not go into the pool. Any excess acquisition goes into the pool.
Order of matching for any disposal: same-day first, then the 30-day rule, then the section 104 pool. Because the 30-day window looks forward from the date of disposal, it runs across the 5 April year end.
CGT rates and exempt amount for 2026/27
| Where the gain falls | CGT rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Within the unused basic rate band | 18% | Taxable gains (after the exempt amount) are added to taxable income; the part within the £37,700 basic rate band is taxed at 18%. |
| Above the basic rate band | 24% | Applies to higher and additional rate taxpayers alike; there is no separate additional rate of CGT. |
The annual exempt amount is £3,000 per individual (per GOV.UK). A basic rate taxpayer whose taxable income is below the £37,700 band (income above the £12,570 Personal Allowance, for most people) can have part of a gain taxed at 18% and the rest at 24%. The CGT calculator works this out.
Related calculators and guides
- CGT calculator - general UK CGT computation across all asset classes.
- UK CGT rules guide - the wider CGT framework.
- UK crypto tax guide - broader cryptocurrency tax overview.
- Business Asset Disposal Relief guide - 18% rate for qualifying business disposals in 2026/27 (not available for crypto investments).
- Self-employed calculator - if your crypto activity is a trade, Income Tax and Class 4 NI apply to the profits.
Frequently asked questions
How is cryptocurrency taxed in the UK?
HMRC treats exchange tokens as chargeable assets for Capital Gains Tax (CRYPTO22050). Selling tokens for money, exchanging them for a different token, using them to pay for goods or services and giving them away (other than to a spouse or civil partner) are disposals (CRYPTO22100). The gain is proceeds minus allowable cost, with cost taken from the section 104 pool. Tokens received from mining or staking that is not a trade are taxed as miscellaneous income at their sterling value when received (CRYPTO21150, CRYPTO21200), and airdrops received in return for a service are also income (CRYPTO21250). Where Income Tax has been charged on tokens, that amount is not taxed again as a gain. HMRC expects buying and selling by individuals to normally be investment rather than trading.
What is the Section 104 pool and how does it work?
Under TCGA 1992 s.104, each type of token you hold forms a single pool with a pooled allowable cost (CRYPTO22200). When you buy, the cost is added to the pool; when you sell, a proportion of the pooled cost is deducted. Two rules are applied before the pool: the same-day rule (s.105), which matches disposals with acquisitions of the same token on the same day, and the 30-day rule (s.106A), which matches a disposal with acquisitions of the same token in the following 30 days. NFTs are separately identifiable, so they are not pooled and no matching rules apply.
What are the UK crypto CGT rates for 2026/27?
For 2026/27 the rates are 18% on gains that fall within your unused basic rate band and 24% on gains above it. The Annual Exempt Amount is £3,000. To find the rate, deduct the exempt amount from your gains and add the result to your taxable income; the part within the £37,700 basic rate band is taxed at 18% and the rest at 24%. Gains are reported on a Self Assessment return (which has a cryptoasset section from 2024 to 2025 onwards) or, if eligible, through the real time Capital Gains Tax service.
How does the same-day and 30-day rule affect crypto investors?
Same-day rule: all acquisitions of one token on a day are treated as one acquisition and matched first with disposals of that token on the same day. If you buy 1 BTC for £40,000 and sell 0.5 BTC for £21,000 on the same day, the cost of the 0.5 BTC sold is £20,000 and the gain is £1,000; the other 0.5 BTC goes into the pool. 30-day rule: if you sell and then buy the same token within the next 30 days, the sale is matched with that later purchase rather than the pool, and those tokens do not enter the pool (CRYPTO22200). The rule applies across the 5 April year end.
Are crypto-to-crypto swaps taxable?
Yes. Exchanging one token for a different type of token is a disposal of the token given up (CRYPTO22100). The gain is the sterling value of what you receive minus the allowable cost of what you gave up. Moving tokens between wallets you own is not a disposal, and nor is a mixer or similar service that returns the same type of token. Transfers between blockchains depend on the facts (CRYPTO22110). Keep a record of the sterling value you used for each transaction.
How are staking rewards and mining income taxed?
If staking or mining is not a trade, the sterling value of tokens received is taxable as miscellaneous income when received, with any appropriate expenses reducing the amount chargeable (CRYPTO21200, CRYPTO21150). Whether it is a trade depends on factors such as the degree of activity, organisation, risk and commerciality. If you keep the tokens, a later disposal may give rise to a chargeable gain, and the amount already charged to Income Tax is not taxed again. Example: tokens worth £150 when received are £150 of income; if you later sell them for £200, the further £50 is a gain.
What about airdrops?
Income Tax may not apply to airdropped tokens received in a personal capacity if you did nothing in return (not related to any service or other conditions) and they are not part of a trade. Airdrops provided in return for, or in expectation of, a service are taxed as miscellaneous income or as receipts of a trade (CRYPTO21250). Either way, a later disposal of the airdropped tokens may give rise to a chargeable gain, and the tokens go into a section 104 pool (CRYPTO22350).
Can I claim a loss on stolen or lost crypto?
Lost keys: misplacing a private key is not a disposal, because the tokens still exist. If it can be shown there is no prospect of recovering the key or the tokens, a negligible value claim under TCGA 1992 s.24 may be made, treating the tokens as disposed of and reacquired so a loss can be crystallised (CRYPTO22400). Theft: HMRC does not consider theft a disposal, because you still own the stolen asset and have a right to recover it, so victims of theft cannot claim a capital loss (CRYPTO22450). Tokens that become worthless while you own them can be the subject of a negligible value claim, made for the whole pool (CRYPTO22500).
What about NFTs?
NFTs are separately identifiable, so they are not pooled and the same-day and 30-day matching rules do not apply (CRYPTO22200); each NFT has its own cost. The 18% and 24% rates apply in the same way as to other tokens. The chattel exemption in TCGA 1992 s.262 applies only to tangible movable property, and HMRC describes tokens as intangible (CRYPTO22050), so it does not cover NFTs. Whether someone who creates and sells NFTs is trading depends on the usual badges of trade.
What records must I keep?
For each pool HMRC asks you to keep, for each transaction, the type of token, the date of disposal, the number of tokens disposed of and left, their sterling value, bank statements, and the pooled costs before and after the disposal. Exchange reports are not tax calculations and do not track pooled costs. If you file a Self Assessment return on time, keep records for at least 22 months after the end of the tax year (for 2026/27, to at least the end of January 2029); if the activity is a trade, the period is 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline.
How does the £3,000 annual exempt amount work?
The £3,000 exempt amount applies to your total gains for the year across all assets, not per asset class. If you have gains charged at more than one rate, you can use it against the gains that would be charged at the highest rate. Unused exempt amount cannot be carried forward. Transfers between spouses and civil partners living together are on a no gain, no loss basis (TCGA 1992 s.58), and each spouse has their own exempt amount.
When do I need to file Self Assessment for crypto?
You must report and pay if your total taxable gains are above the £3,000 exempt amount. If you are registered for Self Assessment, you must also report gains when the total amount you sold assets for was more than £50,000, even if the gains are below the exempt amount. Losses must be reported to be used and can be claimed up to 4 years after the end of the tax year of the disposal. For 2026/27 the online return and payment deadline is 31 January 2028. Eligible people can instead use the real time Capital Gains Tax service, reporting by 31 December after the tax year.