Australia’s proposed capital gains tax reform could raise tax bills for crypto investors who hold assets for more than 12 months.
Summary
- Australia’s tax plan could remove the long holding discount that helped crypto investors reduce bills.
- Koinly says lower earners may face bigger tax jumps than wealthier crypto traders under reforms.
- Kraken expects weaker holding incentives could move some investors toward shorter trading cycles after 2027.
The plan would replace the current 50% CGT discount with an inflation-indexed model from July 1, 2027.
Under current rules, individuals can reduce taxable capital gains by half after holding an asset for more than one year. The proposed model would adjust the cost base for inflation and tax the remaining real gain, with a 30% minimum tax applying to net capital gains.
Crypto holders may lose a key tax benefit
The change matters for crypto because digital assets can rise much faster than inflation during strong market cycles. Crypto.news previously reported that the new model could leave many long-term crypto and share investors with higher tax bills than under the current discount system.
Koinly CEO Robin Singh said lower-income crypto investors could feel the change most. He said “that’s nearly triple” when comparing a lower earner’s possible tax bill under the old rules with the proposed system, based on a $20,000 discounted gain.
Meanwhile, Singh said the reform could reduce the tax reward for holding crypto over long periods. In his view, the loss of the 50% discount may lead some investors to trade more often instead of waiting for long-term gains.
Kraken Australia general manager Jonathon Miller gave a similar warning. He said weaker long-term tax benefits could make patient investing less attractive in crypto, where markets run every hour of the day and assets can move quickly.
Retirement crypto demand adds context
The debate comes as crypto firms build more products for Australian long-term investors. Crypto.news reported that Coinbase Australia recently launched support for self-managed super funds, giving trustees a local route to add crypto exposure to retirement portfolios.
That report said Australian SMSFs held about AU$1.06 trillion in assets at the end of 2025. It also noted that Coinbase’s local push followed its Australian Financial Services License approval, while other exchanges were also targeting the SMSF market.
Parliament still needs to approve reforms
The CGT proposal is not yet law. The measures still need to pass through Australia’s Parliament before they can take effect. Transitional rules would apply only to gains arising on or after July 1, 2027.
BDO said gains realized before that date would still qualify for the current 50% CGT discount. The firm also noted that income support recipients, including Age Pension recipients, would be exempt from the 30% minimum tax rate.
