Crypto in Australia
Crypto in Australia: Plain Facts on Tax, Law and Scams
Factual, dated guides to crypto tax, the law, exchanges, wallets, stablecoins and scams in Australia, from official sources.
Facts checked
Top picks
Logo: KoinlyKoinly
Crypto tax software for Australian readers.
Logo: CoinLedgerCoinLedger
Crypto tax software for Australian readers.
Crypto is legal to buy, hold and sell in Australia, but it isn't legal tender and the ATO taxes it.
Crypto exchanges must register with AUSTRAC. That is an anti-money laundering registration, not a licence or a safety rating. A licensing law for platforms that hold crypto for customers starts on 8 April 2027.
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Crypto glossary: plain meanings of crypto and DeFi terms
Plain meanings of crypto, wallet, DeFi and Australian tax terms, from private key and staking to CGT event and AUSTRAC registration. Facts only, no advice.
Updated 10 November 2026
What Is Crypto Staking? How It Works in Australia
How crypto staking works, Ethereum staking methods, withdrawal risks, ASIC's examples and the ATO's guidance on staking rewards and tax.
Updated 9 November 2026
Is a Koinly Tax Report Enough for the ATO?
A crypto tax report supports your return. Check the underlying transaction records, AUD values and retention rules before relying on the totals.
Updated 8 November 2026
Is Koinly Good? A Plain Review for Australian Crypto Investors
A plain review of Koinly's advertised Australian reports, imports and plan features, with clear limits on what was independently tested.
Updated 4 November 2026
Koinly Tax Reports in Australia: How to Use Them with the ATO
How Koinly works for Australian crypto tax: the cost basis method it uses, declaring crypto through myTax, and checking a report against your own records.
Updated 4 November 2026
ATO Crypto Record Keeping: What to Keep and for How Long
What crypto records the ATO says to keep: receipts, dates, AUD values, wallet and exchange records, how long to keep them and how to protect your history.
Updated 3 November 2026
Crypto Scams in Australia: Warning Signs and Reporting
The crypto scams Moneysmart and Scamwatch warn about, the red flags, how to check an offer, and what to do and who to report to if you have been scammed.
Updated 30 October 2026
Crypto Tax in Australia: How the ATO Taxes Crypto
How the ATO taxes crypto: when CGT applies, swaps, the 50% CGT discount, personal use assets, staking rewards, lost or stolen crypto and the records to keep.
Updated 30 October 2026
Hardware Wallets: How They Work and What to Protect
How a hardware wallet works, why the recovery phrase matters as much as the device, what it does not protect you from and what the ATO says about lost crypto.
Updated 30 October 2026
Hot vs Cold Wallets: How Crypto Storage Works
The difference between hot and cold crypto wallets, what a private key and recovery phrase are, the risks of each and the records the ATO expects you to keep.
Updated 30 October 2026
How to Buy Bitcoin in Australia: Steps, Checks and Risks
How buying bitcoin in Australia works: identity checks, checking AUSTRAC registration, costs to look for, where to keep it, tax records and the scam signs.
Updated 30 October 2026
How to Check a Crypto Exchange in Australia
How to check a crypto exchange in Australia: the AUSTRAC register, ASIC registers, the investor alert list, and what each check does and doesn't tell you.
Updated 30 October 2026
Is Crypto Legal in Australia? What the Law Says
Yes, crypto is legal in Australia. What that means: not legal tender, how the ATO taxes it, AUSTRAC registration, ASIC rules and the new law from 8 April 2027.
Updated 30 October 2026
USDC vs USDT: Issuers, Reserves and Reports Compared
USDC and USDT side by side: who issues each, what the issuers say backs them, their reports and how Australian rules apply. Facts only, no recommendation.
Updated 30 October 2026
What Is a Stablecoin? How They Work and the Risks
What a stablecoin is, how backed and algorithmic stablecoins try to hold their value, how ASIC treats them, the tax position and the risks Moneysmart lists.
Updated 30 October 2026
DeFi.com.au explains crypto in Australia in plain English: how the ATO taxes it, what the law says, how to check an exchange, how wallets and stablecoins work, and how to spot and report scams. Every fact comes from an official source, with the date we checked it.
What this site is
DeFi.com.au gives you plain-English facts about crypto in Australia, including tax, the law, storage and scams. We don't sell crypto, rank exchanges or take referral payments.
Moneysmart says most crypto assets are high risk and their values are very volatile, so you could lose everything you put in. We don't try to talk you into or out of anything. The site gives general information, not personal financial or tax advice. If you need advice about your circumstances, speak to a registered tax agent or a licensed financial adviser.
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Tax
The ATO says there are no special tax rules for crypto assets: treatment depends on how you acquire, hold and dispose of them. Our crypto tax in Australia guide explains the general rules, including the ATO's position that investors' crypto assets are generally capital gains tax assets and staking rewards are ordinary income.
For the records the ATO says to keep and how long to keep them, read ATO crypto record keeping.
Buying crypto
Moneysmart says you can buy or sell crypto through a trading platform using money, or directly. Read how to buy bitcoin in Australia for the steps, the costs to check and the risks. We don't name or recommend a platform there.
Checking an exchange
Our guide to how to check a crypto exchange shows you how to look a platform up on AUSTRAC's register and ASIC's registers yourself. AUSTRAC registration is an anti-money laundering registration, not a licence or a safety rating, and Moneysmart says there is currently no public register to check the legitimacy of crypto exchanges.
Storing crypto
According to Moneysmart, a wallet's private key is the secret code that lets you access your tokens, and losing it usually means losing your crypto. Read about hot and cold wallets, and our guide to hardware wallets for how the devices and recovery phrases work.
Recognising scams
Moneysmart says that if a hacker steals your crypto, there is little hope of getting it back. Our crypto scams guide covers the common scams, the red flags and the official places to report one.
Stablecoins
Moneysmart describes stablecoin as a marketing term for crypto that aims to keep a stable value relative to an asset or basket of assets. That aim does not make it legal tender: Moneysmart says even Australian dollar stablecoins are not legal tender in Australia.
Read what is a stablecoin for the different methods, including external asset backing and algorithms that control supply and demand. USDC and USDT compared looks at those two stablecoins without recommending either.
The law in Australia
Crypto is legal to buy, hold and sell in Australia, but it isn't legal tender, and the ATO says it isn't money for tax purposes. Our guide is crypto legal in Australia explains who regulates what.
AUSTRAC says it's illegal to provide virtual asset services in Australia without being registered with it.
According to ASIC's release of 15 October 2026 and the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026, new platform laws commence on 8 April 2027. The framework requires an Australian financial services licence or an exemption for relevant services. Read about the digital asset platform law from 8 April 2027, including its transition arrangements.
Crypto words explained
Our crypto glossary gives plain meanings of wallet, DeFi and Australian tax terms, from private key and staking to CGT event and AUSTRAC registration.
How we check facts
We use official sources first: the ATO for tax, ASIC and Moneysmart for consumer and regulatory information, AUSTRAC for registration obligations, and legislation for the law itself. The facts on this page were checked on 30 October 2026.
Every page shows when it was published, updated and reviewed. Read how we research our facts, about this site and our general information notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is crypto legal tender in Australia?
No. Moneysmart says crypto assets, including Australian dollar stablecoins, are not legal tender and are not widely accepted as payment.
Do I have to consider tax on crypto?
Yes. The ATO says tax treatment depends on how you acquire, hold and dispose of crypto. Speak to a registered tax agent about your circumstances.
Does AUSTRAC registration make an exchange safe?
No. AUSTRAC registration is an anti-money laundering registration. It is not a licence, a safety rating or an endorsement, and it does not protect your money if a platform fails.
What happens if I lose my private key?
Moneysmart says you usually lose your crypto if you lose your private key. The key lets you access your tokens, so understanding how your wallet holds it matters.
When do the new platform laws start?
ASIC's release of 15 October 2026 and the Act give 8 April 2027 as the commencement date. The Act provides a six-month transition period, with arrangements for providers that apply during that period.