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SARS · CAPITAL GAINS

What a disposal costs you in tax.

Selling, swapping or spending crypto is a disposal, and a disposal has a tax consequence. This walks the calculation out step by step — on the rates you supply, because those are SARS settings and they move.

The disposal

What you paid, plus the costs directly tied to acquiring and disposing of it.

The rand value you received on disposal — a sale, a swap, or a payment made in crypto.

The rates that apply to you

SARS's exclusion for the 2027 tax year, as at 22 July 2026. It applies once across all your gains — enter what remains.

Natural persons, as at 22 July 2026. Companies and most trusts differ — change it if that is you.

The bracket your taxable income lands in, once this gain is added. The table below sets them out.

Estimated tax on this disposal

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Enter the disposal, then your marginal rate. The inclusion rate and the annual exclusion are SARS’s figures for the 2027 tax year, verified 22 July 2026 and shown below so you can change either — the exclusion is annual across all your gains, so enter what you have left of it.

Proceeds less base cost—
Less the annual exclusionnot set
Included at 40%—
Taxed at your marginal rate—
You keep, of the gain—

An estimate on the figures you entered — not tax advice, and not a filing.

Finding your marginal rate

The taxable portion of a gain is added on top of your other income, so the rate to enter is the one for the bracket it lands in — and a large gain can push part of itself into the next. These are SARS’s brackets for the 2027 tax year, as at 22 July 2026.

Taxable income, 2027 tax year
Taxable incomeRate on the amount above
Up to R 245 10018%
R 245 101 – R 383 10026%
R 383 101 – R 530 20031%
R 530 201 – R 695 80036%
R 695 801 – R 887 00039%
R 887 001 – R 1 878 60041%
R 1 878 601 and above45%

Before rebates, which this estimator does not model. Sources are listed at the foot of this page — check them, and a registered practitioner, before you file.

Read this before you trust the number

Capital or revenue is not your choice

This estimator assumes the gain is capital — an asset held as an investment and then disposed of. If you trade frequently, or acquired with the intention of reselling at a profit, SARS may treat the whole gain as revenue and tax it at your full marginal rate with no inclusion rate and no annual exclusion. The distinction turns on intention and conduct, and it is judged case by case.

Every disposal counts, not just cash-outs

Swapping one coin for another is a disposal of the first. So is paying for something in crypto, and so is a transfer that changes beneficial ownership. Each needs a rand value at the moment it happened, and the base cost that goes with it. Run the estimator once per disposal — it prices one at a time.

The exclusion is annual, not per trade

The annual exclusion applies once across all of your capital gains for the year, so if you have already used it elsewhere the figure to enter is what remains — not the full amount. SARS sets it at R 50 000 for the 2027 tax year, which is what the estimator starts from.

Your marginal rate is not your average rate

The taxable portion of a gain is added on top of your other income, so it is taxed at the rate of the bracket it lands in — and a large gain can push part of itself into the next one. The bracket table sits beside the marginal-rate field above; it is the one figure here you have to supply, because it depends on income this page cannot see.

Questions SARS gets asked

Do you pay tax on crypto in South Africa?

Yes. SARS applies normal income tax rules to crypto assets. Depending on the facts, a gain is taxed either as revenue under gross income, or as a capital gain under the Eighth Schedule. There is no separate crypto tax and no exemption for small amounts, though the annual capital gains exclusion may cover a modest gain.

Is crypto taxed as income or capital gains?

Either, depending on the facts. SARS says whether a receipt is revenue or capital is tested under existing case law rather than a fixed rule. Frequent short-term trading points towards revenue; buying and holding as a long-term investment points towards capital.

Do I pay tax if I swap one coin for another?

Yes. A crypto-to-crypto trade disposes of the asset you gave up, and the gain is measured in rand at that moment — even though you never withdrew rand.

How much is capital gains tax on crypto in South Africa?

For an individual, 40% of your net capital gain — after the R50 000 annual exclusion — is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate. The most that can work out to is 18% of the gain, which is where the "18%" figure people quote comes from.

What if I made a loss?

A capital loss is set off against other capital gains in the same year, and any balance is carried forward. Losses on revenue account are treated differently again. This tool estimates gains only.

Where these figures come from

Stated as at 22 July 2026. Rates, exclusions and brackets are set by SARS and change with the Budget, so check the primary pages — or a registered tax practitioner — before you act on anything here.

Records SARS will accept.
80eight gives you a full transaction history for every tax year — every disposal, with the rand value at the time.

This is an estimate built entirely from the figures you enter, and it is not tax advice. It covers a single disposal treated as capital, ignores losses brought forward, rebates and any other relief, and does not decide whether your activity is capital or revenue in nature. Rates, exclusions and brackets are set by SARS and change — confirm them, and speak to a registered tax practitioner before you file.