verified by tax experts

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting: How to Use Losses to Offset Gains

written by
Florian Wimmer
,
Blockpit CEO & Crypto Tax Expert
Reviewed by
Georg Brameshuber
,
Crypto Tax Expert & CPA
,
Last Updated:
November 18, 2024

Blockpit employs strict editorial principles to provide accurate, clear and actionable information. Learn more about our Editorial Policy.

Key Takeaways

  • You can offset capital gains with losses from underperforming crypto assets to lower your overall taxable gains
  • The best opportunities for tax loss harvesting are often at the end of the tax year
  • Blockpit's Crypto Tax Optimization tool uncovers tax loss harvesting opportunities in your portfolio
Table of Contents

Crypto tax loss harvesting is a powerful strategy to reduce your tax burden and make the most of your cryptocurrency investments. The concept is simple: by selling underperforming crypto assets at a loss, you can offset gains from other investments and potentially lower your taxable income. 

While this technique is common in traditional investing, the high volatility and unique tax rules of the crypto market make it especially valuable for crypto traders.

In this tax guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about crypto tax loss harvesting: how it works, whether it’s allowed in your country, when to use it, and how to track and report your losses. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to optimize your tax strategy and how Blockpit can simplify the process.

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Understanding crypto tax rules can be challenging, especially with varying regulations from one country to another. Blockpit simplifies this process by offering a powerful tools to automatically identify tax loss harvesting opportunities in your portfolio and ensure compliance with local tax laws. Sign up for free to get started today!</p></div></div></div>

Ready to take control of your crypto taxes? Let’s get started!

Is Tax Loss Harvesting Allowed for Crypto?

The tax treatment of cryptocurrency varies significantly around the world, but crypto is generally viewed as a taxable asset. 

Many countries, including the US, the UK, and most of the EU, classify crypto as either property or an asset, meaning that gains and losses from crypto transactions are subject to capital gains tax.

Tax loss harvesting for cryptocurrencies is allowed in countries where capital gains apply, as the same principles governing stock and asset transactions extend to digital assets.

We’ve prepared specific tax loss harvesting guides to dive into the details of each country:

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting US

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting UK

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting Germany

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting Austria

What types of gains can be offset by crypto losses?

Crypto losses are classified as capital losses, which means they can be used to offset various types of capital gains, depending on the crypto tax laws in each country

Offsetting Gains from Other Cryptocurrencies

Crypto-to-crypto trades are generally considered taxable events in many jurisdictions. This means that if you sell Bitcoin at a loss, this loss can be used to offset gains from other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum or Solana. 

So if you’ve made a 2,000€ gain from trading Ethereum but incurred a 2,000€ loss from Bitcoin, the loss would cancel out the gain, resulting in no capital gains tax for those transactions.

Offsetting Gains from Stocks and Equities

In many countries, capital losses from crypto can be used to offset gains from other investments, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.

If you had a 5,000€ gain from selling stock in a tech company but also had a 5,000€ loss from crypto investments, you could apply the crypto loss to offset the stock gain, effectively eliminating any taxable gain for those investments.

Offsetting Short-Term vs. Long-Term Gains

In countries that differentiate between short-term and long-term capital gains, crypto losses can generally only offset gains of the same category. 

If you incur a short-term loss on a crypto asset, this loss can only offset short-term crypto gains. Similarly, a long-term loss from crypto (held for more than a year) can generally only offset long-term crypto gains.

Using Crypto Losses to Offset Income

In some jurisdictions, once all capital gains have been offset, any remaining losses can reduce other forms of income. 

For example, in the United States, up to 3,000$ of unused capital losses can be used to offset ordinary income, such as wages or business income. 

If you realize a 4,000$ crypto loss and have no other capital gains, they could reduce your taxable income by 3,000$ for that year, with the remaining $1,000 carried forward to future years.

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4cef4c34160eab4440_Info.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Crypto tax regulation may vary widely from country to country. Read the Crypto Tax Guide for your country to learn more and use a Crypto Tax Calculator to ensure correct application of your local tax laws.</p></div></div></div>

What’s the maximum amount of losses that can be harvested?

The maximum amount of crypto losses that can be harvested annually varies by country, depending on local tax regulations. 

In most jurisdictions, capital losses can offset an unlimited amount of capital gains within the same year, meaning you can harvest as many losses as needed to offset taxable gains.

When it comes to using capital losses to offset ordinary income, some countries impose limits. 

In the US, for example, only 3,000$ in excess capital losses can be deducted against ordinary income annually. Read more about it here: Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting in the US

Carrying Excess Losses to Future Tax Years

What happens if the amount of losses you harvested exceed the amount of gains you can offset or surpass the annual limit for reducing ordinary income in the same tax year? 

Excess losses don’t go to waste. Most tax systems allow excess losses to be carried forward to future tax years.

In the US, any unused losses beyond the 3,000$ annual deduction limit can be carried forward indefinitely, applying them first to future capital gains or again to reduce ordinary income (subject to the annual cap).

In the UK, losses can be carried forward indefinitely, but they must be reported in the year they occur to claim them in subsequent years.

In countries like Germany and France, unused losses can often be carried forward to offset future gains from similar asset classes, though some jurisdictions impose time limits (e.g., 5 years in France).

When is the Best Time for Tax Loss Harvesting?

Timing is key to making the most of tax loss harvesting. The best time to use this tax optimization strategy depends on your financial situation and local tax rules, but some times and market situations are better suited for it than others.

1. Toward the End of the Tax Year

The end of the calendar or fiscal year is often the most popular time for tax loss harvesting.

As the year closes, investors can evaluate their portfolio's performance and identify underperforming assets to sell at a loss. 

This timing allows you to offset gains accumulated during the year and reduce your taxable income before filing taxes.

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Tax planning is typically more predictable at year-end since you have a clearer picture of your gains, losses, and overall tax liability. Harvesting losses in December can help you fine-tune your tax strategy before the year ends.</p></div></div></div>

Want to learn more? Read this: 5 End-of-Year Hacks to Reduce Crypto Taxes

2. During Market Downturns

Market downturns provide ideal conditions for tax loss harvesting. 

Volatility in the cryptocurrency market often leads to steep declines in asset values. 

Selling assets during these periods to realize losses can reduce taxable gains or carry forward those losses to future years.

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">If you believe the asset's value will rebound, you can repurchase it after harvesting the loss, but be cautious of wash sale rules if they apply in your jurisdiction.</p></div></div></div>

3. Before Regulatory Changes

Tax laws regarding cryptocurrency are evolving. If your jurisdiction is considering changes, such as introducing a wash sale rule for crypto or revising capital gains tax rates, it may be wise to act proactively. 

Harvesting losses before such rules take effect ensures you can capitalize on existing tax benefits.

4. During Portfolio Rebalancing

Rebalancing your portfolio—whether to diversify or adjust your risk exposure—presents another opportunity for tax loss harvesting. 

Selling underperforming crypto assets as part of the rebalancing process allows you to harvest losses while aligning your investments with your long-term strategy.

5. After Permanent Losses or Failed Investments

If an asset is unlikely to recover, such as after a rug pull, a project collapse, or poor investments in highly speculative assets like meme coins, it’s a good time to harvest losses.

Holding onto a near-worthless asset doesn’t provide any financial benefit, but realizing the loss can improve your tax situation. 

For example, if you invested in a failed meme coin or a project that turned out to be a scam, harvesting the loss ensures that you extract some financial advantage from a bad investment.

Wash Sale Rules

Wash sale rules are tax rules that prevent investors from claiming a tax loss if they sell an asset and buy it back within a certain timeframe. 

Wash sale rules typically apply to stocks, but some countries have started adapting them for crypto as well. 

The UK, for example, has a "bed and breakfasting" rule, which acts like a wash sale rule. If you sell crypto at a loss and repurchases the same asset within 30 days, you can not claim the loss. Read more about it here: Crypto Cost Basis Rules in the UK

Similar rules apply to crypto investments in Australia and Canada. 

In contrast, there are no wash-sale rules for cryptocurrencies in the US, Germany, France or most other EU countries, meaning that you can sell your crypto at a loss to claim the tax deduction and immediately repurchase it afterwards.

Other Things to Keep in Mind

Track Everything

Keeping track of dates, purchase prices, sale prices, and transaction fees for each trade is key for accurate crypto tax loss harvesting. Your country’s tax authority may request an overview of your transactions before accepting your tax filings. 

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Blockpit’s Crypto Tax Calculator compiles all of your relevant transactions in an easy-to-understand format that can be shared with your tax filing.</p></div></div></div>

Transaction Fees Matter

Crypto trading often comes with fees, which can significantly impact your profit or loss calculations. Ensure that you account for these fees when determining the actual loss or gain from a trade.

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Blockpit automatically detects and categorizes fees to accurately reflect your true gains and losses.</p></div></div></div>

Non-Taxable Events and Exemptions

Some transactions, like crypto-to-crypto exchanges or specific types of wallet transfers, may not be taxable in certain jurisdictions. Knowing what counts as a taxable event will help you avoid unnecessary tax planning. 

<div fs-richtext-component="info-box" class="info-box protip"><div class="flex-info-card"><img src="https://assets-global.website-files.com/65098a145ece52db42b9c274/650c6f4b151815fb0be48cec_Lightning.svg" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="" class="icon-info-box"><div fs-richtext-component="info-box-text" class="info-box-content"><p class="color-neutral-800">Blockpit supports the specific crypto tax rules of many countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium to provide fully compliant crypto tax calculations.</p></div></div></div>

Crypto Tax Loss Harvesting Software

Blockpit makes tax loss harvesting simple and efficient, with an average of 2,395€ in identified tax-saving opportunities!

With our powerful tax optimization feature, you can easily identify opportunities to harvest losses and reduce your tax liability. Our tool automatically scans your portfolio to highlight underperforming assets that could be sold for a tax benefit, saving you hours of manual analysis.

Don’t leave money on the table! Create your Blockpit account today and see how much you could save.

👉 Sign up for free now!

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general information purposes only. The information was completed to the best of our knowledge and does not claim either correctness or accuracy. For detailed information on crypto regulations, we recommend contacting a certified legal advisor in the respective country.

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