Rates checked against GOV.UK
How much is UK Capital Gains Tax on crypto?
A £20,000.00 crypto gain on £40,000 of income costs £3,463.80 in Capital Gains Tax in 2026/27. The first £3,000 is tax-free, £10,270.00 falls in the rest of your basic-rate band at 18%, and £6,730.00 is taxed at 24%.
Capital Gains Tax by gain and income, 2026/27
£15,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £360.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,260.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £3,060.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £9,163.80
£30,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £360.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,260.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £3,060.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £10,063.80
£50,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £463.80
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,663.80
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £4,063.80
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £11,263.80
£60,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £480.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,680.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £4,080.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £11,280.00
£100,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £480.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,680.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £4,080.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £11,280.00
£125,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £480.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,680.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £4,080.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £11,280.00
£150,000
- Tax on a £5,000 gain
- £480.00
- Tax on a £10,000 gain
- £1,680.00
- Tax on a £20,000 gain
- £4,080.00
- Tax on a £50,000 gain
- £11,280.00
| Income before tax | Tax on a £5,000 gain | Tax on a £10,000 gain | Tax on a £20,000 gain | Tax on a £50,000 gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £15,000 | £360.00 | £1,260.00 | £3,060.00 | £9,163.80 |
| £30,000 | £360.00 | £1,260.00 | £3,060.00 | £10,063.80 |
| £50,000 | £463.80 | £1,663.80 | £4,063.80 | £11,263.80 |
| £60,000 | £480.00 | £1,680.00 | £4,080.00 | £11,280.00 |
| £100,000 | £480.00 | £1,680.00 | £4,080.00 | £11,280.00 |
| £125,000 | £480.00 | £1,680.00 | £4,080.00 | £11,280.00 |
| £150,000 | £480.00 | £1,680.00 | £4,080.00 | £11,280.00 |
How the basic-rate band sets the rate
Your income uses the basic-rate band first. The band covers £37,700 above the £12,570 Personal Allowance, so it ends at £50,270 of income, and the allowance shrinks by £1 for every £2 of income over £100,000. Gains that fit in what's left of the band are taxed at 18%; the rest at 24%. The first £3,000 of gains is tax-free.
The formula
gain = what you sold for − what you paid (fees added to the cost and taken off the proceeds)
taxable gain = gain − £3,000 annual exempt amount
band left = basic-rate band − (income − Personal Allowance)
tax = taxable gain within the band left × 18% + the rest × 24%
Questions
Does holding crypto longer reduce UK tax?
No. UK Capital Gains Tax doesn't change with how long you held the coin. What changes it is your income: gains inside your remaining basic-rate band are taxed at 18%, the rest at 24%.
Is swapping one crypto for another taxable in the UK?
Yes. HMRC treats a swap as a disposal of the coin you give up, so a gain on it is taxable the same as selling it for pounds.
How much crypto gain is tax-free in the UK?
The first £3,000 of your total gains in the 2026/27 tax year, the annual exempt amount. Gains above it are taxed at 18% or 24%.
Is this tax advice?
No. It estimates the tax on one sale. It leaves out state and local tax, other gains and losses in the same year, and your other deductions and credits. Check your figures with a tax professional before you file.
An estimate for one sale, not tax advice. Rules change and your situation may differ; check with a tax professional before you file.