How crypto gifts and donations are taxed
Whether giving crypto away triggers tax depends heavily on where you are — the US treats it very differently from the UK, Canada, or Australia. Receiving a gift usually isn't taxed until you sell, and donating to charity can be one of the most tax-efficient things you do with appreciated crypto.
General information, not tax advice. Gift and donation rules differ sharply by country — verify against your country's guidance or a qualified tax advisor.
Giving crypto: the big country split
- United States — gifting crypto is not a taxable disposal for you, the giver — no capital gains. You may need to file a gift tax return (Form 709) if you give one person more than the annual exclusion ($19,000 for 2025 and 2026), but you typically owe no gift tax unless you exceed the very high lifetime exemption. US crypto tax →
- United Kingdom, Canada, Australia — gifting crypto to anyone other than a spouse generally is a disposal at market value, so capital gains tax can apply even though you received nothing. (The UK treats transfers between spouses as no gain/no loss.) UK crypto tax →
- France — crypto gifts aren't taxed (the recipient is taxed when they later sell).
Receiving crypto
Receiving a gift is generally not taxable at the time. You're taxed when you later sell it, usually using the giver's original cost basis and holding period (carryover basis) — so ask the giver for the price they paid and the date they bought it, or your gain could be calculated from a zero basis.
Donating to charity (often tax-efficient)
In several countries, donating appreciated crypto directly to a qualified charity is more tax-efficient than selling first:
- United States — donating crypto held more than a year to a qualified 501(c)(3) is not a taxable disposal: you avoid capital gains on the appreciation and can deduct its fair market value if you itemise (with extra forms for larger donations).
- United Kingdom — gifts of crypto to charity are generally free of capital gains tax.
Donating directly beats selling-then-donating, because selling first would trigger a taxable gain.
How CryptaTax handles gifts and donations
- Applies your country's treatment automatically — a disposal at market value where applicable (e.g. UK, Canada, Australia), or not a disposal for the giver (e.g. US)
- Tracks carryover basis so gifts you receive are calculated correctly when you sell
- Flags charitable donations and the disposals they replace
Capital gains report → · Import your exchanges & wallets →
FAQ
It depends on your country. In the US, gifting is not a taxable disposal for the giver (though large gifts need a gift-tax return). In the UK, Canada, and Australia, gifting is generally a disposal at market value, so capital gains can apply.
Usually not at the time. You are taxed when you sell, generally using the giver's original cost basis and holding period, so get those details from them.
In countries like the US and UK, donating appreciated crypto directly to a qualified charity can avoid capital gains, and the US also allows a fair-market-value deduction for assets held over a year.
In the US, giving one person more than the annual exclusion of $19,000 means filing a gift-tax return, though you usually will not owe gift tax. Other countries have their own rules.