Crypto tax reporting in South Africa

How are acquisition costs treated?

Determine revenue or capital character first. SARS describes deductible expenditure for revenue activity and base-cost adjustments for capital gains. [1] [2] [3]

What records should you collect?

ZAR proceeds, acquisition costs, expenses and evidence of investment intent or trading activity. [1] [2] [3]

How should you prepare your records?

1. Organise records for the stated SARS tax year and preserve evidence about the purpose and pattern of the activity. Classification as revenue or capital comes before choosing cost treatment.
2. Reconcile ZAR proceeds, acquisition costs and relevant expenses. Keep the evidence supporting revenue deductions or capital base-cost adjustments rather than assuming one method fits both.
3. Review the ITR12 sections appropriate to the activity. Treat provider reporting under CARF as a separate obligation framework, not as confirmation that your individual return is complete.

Official sources: [1] [2] [3]

Where is crypto reported?

Declare crypto income/gains in the appropriate ITR12 sections for the activity. [1] [2] [3]

Which situations need separate review?

No universal FIFO rule is inferred here. CARF is a separate provider-reporting framework, not a replacement for the taxpayer’s return. [1] [2] [3]

What should you check before filing?

A platform reporting information to a tax authority does not replace the taxpayer’s own classification and return review. [1] [2] [3]

Check product scope

The guide describes published reporting rules. Available outputs depend on country, year and supported inputs. Review the product page and preview before relying on any generated records.

About this guide

DYOR.tax compiled this guide from the tax-authority publications below. It covers selected reporting rules for resident individuals holding crypto on their own account. It is not a complete tax return or a description of everything DYOR can generate. Rates, thresholds, filing deadlines and business rules require separate checks. The reference period is the income period, not a filing deadline. The checking date is not the effective date of a law.

Cite this guide

Credit DYOR.tax for this synthesis and the linked authority for the underlying rule. Include the reference period and source-checking date. Sources keep their original publication titles.

DYOR.tax. “Crypto tax reporting in South Africa.” 2026 tax year. Sources checked: 2026-09-13. https://dyor.tax/za/crypto-tax-reporting