What are the Taxation Regulations for NFTs?
- January 27, 2023
- 5 min read

Get all the information you need about the taxation regulations for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in Australia with this informative crypto article! NFTs are digital markers that authenticate and verify ownership of items such as artwork, music, game characters, and website domains. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about Australian tax laws regarding NFTs!
NFTs are digitally encoded and kept on the blockchain. They authenticate items like crypto art, leaving an immutable digital track of ownership in their wake. To better comprehend this concept, consider NFTs as unique identifiers connected to individual works. Whenever someone buys or trades a digital asset, the transaction is authenticated across all nodes in the network utilizing an NFT system.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has proclaimed that the taxation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) follows similar general rules as those applicable to cryptocurrencies. Consequently, NFTs are regarded as assets and subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT).
According to the ATO, a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) is an indivisible unit of data stored on a digital ledger (blockchain). Unlike other tokens, it is unique and cannot be exchanged for another token. An NFT also serves as a form of digital asset and not currency.
Are you pondering the taxation of NFTs in Australia? If you have purchased, sold, gifted, traded or swapped non-fungible tokens for cryptocurrency – then all these transactions must be declared when submitting your annual income tax return. Generally speaking, any capital gain (or loss) is determined by subtracting what it cost to acquire an asset from what was received upon its disposal. Don’t forget that costs also include transaction fees!
By holding an NFT for more than 12 months, you can reap the rewards of a 50% reduction in Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Unfortunately, those who possess and sell their asset after less than one year will be subject to full CGT charges.
Claiming your losses on crypto investments is highly beneficial. When you experience gains and losses in the same financial year, they’ll both be factored to determine your net capital gain or loss for that year. If incur a net capital loss, then it can be utilized at a later date to offset any potential future gains! So don’t forget to take advantage of this opportunity – claim those losses now!
Certain scenarios may permit you to assert Non-Fungible Tokens as a personal asset, granting exemption from Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Recently in early 2022, the Australian Taxation Office outlined four core focus areas for taxation season. These are: documentation; expenses relating to labor; income and deductions from rentals; and Capital Gains from crypto assets, shares or property.
- The ATO recommends that you preserve each of your NFT asset records, as well as all transactions, including:
- Receipts when buying and trading or disposing of any NFT assets.
- The date for every transaction.
- What the exchange is about and who the other party is (their wallet address).
- Records from digital exchanges.
- The value of each asset in Australian dollars at the time it was exchanged.
- Accountant/legal charges paid during a transaction.
- Records from wallets & keys used to access them digitally.
- Software costs related to managing tax affairs
To remain on top of your NFT tax obligations, it’s recommended that you export your transaction history every three months and before shutting any accounts with an exchange or wallet provider. Additionally, take advantage of a reliable Australian NFT tax calculator – there are free and budget-friendly options to sync up all of your exchange and wallet accounts – as well as contacting the customer service team from the respective exchanges if needed for recreating lost records.
To stay within legal requirements, you must store records for a period of five years from the time they were obtained, when transactions or activities are finished, and when capital gains tax events transpire.
When it comes to cryptocurrency taxes, the best thing you can do is stay informed and up-to-date. Crypto Tax Calculator Australia is dedicated to helping you accomplish just that. With our easy-to-use calculator, you can take the guesswork out of calculating your profits and losses. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!