UK Crypto Tax Deadlines: Complete 2024/25 & 2025/26 Roadmap

Crypto trading operates 24/7, 365 days a year—but HMRC deadlines don't. You can buy Bitcoin at 3am on a Sunday, swap ETH for USDT on Christmas Day, and stake tokens while on holiday in Spain. But when it comes to reporting those transactions? You've got exactly one date that matters: 31 January. For most of the year, crypto taxes feel like a distant problem. Your exchange dashboards show crisp profit percentages, your portfolio tracker displays impressive gains, and you're focused on the next market move. Then January arrives. Suddenly you're staring at transaction histories across five different exchanges, trying to remember which wallet held what, calculating the GBP value of every trade at the exact timestamp it happened, and wondering whether your staking rewards count as income or capital gains.

If this sounds uncomfortably familiar, you're in good company. Thousands of UK crypto investors face this same January scramble every year—not because they're disorganised, but because crypto tax obligations are genuinely complex, the rules keep evolving, and most people don't realize how much earlier they should have started preparing.

This guide is written for crypto investors, not accountants. It brings together every UK crypto tax return date for 2024/25 and 2025/26 into one clear roadmap, explains what actually matters in January 2026, and provides simple systems to stay compliant without stress.

By the end, you'll understand:

• All key UK crypto tax deadlines for 2024/25 and 2025/26
• Exactly what's due on 31 January, 31 July, and 31 October
• Who must report crypto on their Self Assessment
• How payments on account work for crypto income
• When to expect your crypto tax refund
• Penalties for missing crypto tax deadlines
• A practical checklist for crypto investors

UK Crypto Tax Dates at a Glance (Fast Breakdown)

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

Most crypto investors must file and pay by 31 January 2026 for the 2024/25 tax year.

Here's the simplified overview:

Everything else revolves around these three dates.

How UK Tax Years Work (Why Dates Matter for Crypto)

The UK tax year doesn't follow the calendar year, which is the root of most confusion.

Tax Year 2024/25 (Current Filing Year - NOW)

• Starts: 6 April 2024
• Ends: 5 April 2025
• Online filing deadline: 31 January 2026

This is the return most crypto investors are dealing with RIGHT NOW.

All your crypto transactions between 6 April 2024 and 5 April 2025 must be reported by 31 January 2026.

Tax Year 2025/26 (Upcoming Year)

• Starts: 6 April 2025
• Ends: 5 April 2026
• Online filing deadline: 31 January 2027

You're currently in this tax year (as of January 2026). Any crypto trades, sales, or staking rewards you earn now count toward this year's taxes, which you'll report in January 2027.

All Key UK Crypto Tax Deadlines (January 2026 Update)

2024/25 Critical Dates (CURRENT YEAR - Action Required Now)

YOU ARE HERE ➜ We're in January 2026. If you haven't filed your 2024/25 return yet, you have days remaining before the 31 January 2026 deadline.

2025/26 Forward-Looking Dates (Planning Ahead)

Who Must Report Crypto on Self-Assessment?

You must file a Self Assessment return if you:

Capital Gains from Crypto

• Sold crypto for fiat (GBP, USD, EUR, etc.) with gains exceeding £3,000 (2024/25 allowance)
• Traded one crypto for another (e.g., BTC to ETH) with total gains over £3,000
• Spent crypto on goods or services with gains over £3,000
• Gifted crypto (except to spouse/partner) with gains over £3,000

Income from Crypto

• Earned staking rewards (any amount)
• Received mining income (over £1,000)
• Got paid in crypto from employment
• Earned interest from crypto lending
• Received airdrops that are considered income

Loss Claims

• Want to claim crypto losses to offset against future gains
• Must be claimed within 4 years of the tax year the loss occurred

General Requirements

• Are self-employed (including crypto trading as a business)
• Earn over £100,000 total income
• Have been asked to file by HMRC

You usually DON'T need to file if:

• You only held crypto (didn't sell, trade, or spend)
• Your total gains were under £3,000
• All your income is taxed through PAYE with no additional crypto income

Important: If HMRC asks you to file, you must do so—even if your crypto activity was minimal.

The 5D Crypto Tax Date System (Easy Way to Remember Everything)

This guide uses a simple framework to make crypto deadlines stick.

D1 — Dates

Remember the three core dates: 31 January, 31 July, 31 October.

D2 — Duties

Confirm whether you actually need to file. Most crypto investors DO need to file if they sold, traded, or earned income.

D3 — Deadlines

Paper and online deadlines are different. For crypto (with complex calculations), always file online.

D4 — Deductions

Track all crypto-related expenses:

• Exchange and trading fees
• Gas fees for on-chain transactions
• Cost of crypto tax software
• Professional accounting fees
• Mining equipment and electricity costs

D5 — Dangers

Penalties and interest grow automatically when deadlines are missed. Crypto complexity doesn't excuse late filing.

Payments on Account (Explained for Crypto Investors)

Payments on account confuse more crypto investors than any other tax rule.

What They Are

If your tax bill is over £1,000, HMRC asks you to pay part of next year's tax in advance.

Important: This applies to crypto INCOME, not capital gains.

• Staking rewards = income ➝ triggers payment on account
• Mining income = income ➝ triggers payment on account
• Trading as a business = income ➝ triggers payment on account
• Capital gains from selling crypto = NO payment on account required

How They Work

You make two advance payments:

1. 31 January (with your balancing payment)
2. 31 July

Simple Example: Crypto Staker

2024/25 situation:

• You earned £8,000 in staking rewards
• Tax due: £3,200 (40% rate)
• Your capital gains were separate

What you pay:

• 31 January 2026: £3,200 (balance for 2024/25) + £1,600 (first payment on account for 2025/26)
• 31 July 2026: £1,600 (second payment on account for 2025/26)

Total in January: £4,800

Simple Example: Pure Capital Gains (No Payment on Account)

2024/25 situation:

• You sold crypto with £15,000 capital gain
• Less allowance: £3,000
• Taxable gain: £12,000
• Tax due: £2,400 (20% rate)

What you pay:

• 31 January 2026: £2,400 only
• 31 July 2026: Nothing (capital gains don't require payments on account)

This is why it's crucial to know if your crypto activity is income or capital gains.

Penalties for Missing UK Crypto Tax Deadlines

Late Filing Penalties

Crypto-specific risk: HMRC is increasingly scrutinizing crypto returns. Late filing + crypto activity = higher investigation probability.

Late Payment Penalties

Interest

Interest accrues daily until the balance is cleared. Current HMRC rate is approximately 7.5% annually.

Real Example: The Cost of Missing Deadlines

Scenario: Crypto investor owes £5,000, files 4 months late, pays 7 months late.

Costs:

• Late filing: £100 + £300 (3 months daily) = £400
• Late payment: £250 (5% at 30 days)
• Interest: ~£150 (7 months at 7.5% annual)
• Total additional cost: £800 (16% more than original tax)

Lesson: Missing deadlines on a £5,000 crypto tax bill costs you an extra £800.

When Will You Get Your Crypto Tax Refund?

If you overpaid or had losses that create a refund:

Refunds May Be Delayed If:

• HMRC has questions about your crypto transactions
• Your cost basis calculations look unusual
• You're claiming large losses
• You didn't provide exchange transaction histories
• This is your first crypto tax filing

Tip: File early (October-November) if you're expecting a refund. Filing on 30 January risks delays.

10-Minute Crypto Tax Return Checklist

Before filing, gather:

Essential Documents

• UTR number
• Government Gateway login
• National Insurance number

Crypto-Specific Records

• Complete transaction history from ALL exchanges (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, etc.)
• Wallet transaction exports (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, etc.)
• On-chain transaction records for DeFi activities
• Staking reward records with dates and GBP values
• Mining income records (if applicable)
• NFT purchase and sale records (if applicable)
• Cost basis calculations for all disposals
• Exchange fee records (deductible as allowable costs)
• Gas fee records (deductible as allowable costs)

Supporting Documentation

• Employment income (P60 if crypto was part of salary)
• Other income sources
• Student loan repayment information
• Pension contributions
• Gift Aid donations

Crypto Tax Software Reports (if used)

• Capital gains summary
• Income summary
• Section 104 pool calculations
• Disposal reports

Pro Tip: If you used multiple exchanges, create a master spreadsheet consolidating everything before you start filing.

Common Crypto Tax Return Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

The most frequent crypto-specific errors:

1. Not Reporting Crypto-to-Crypto Trades

WRONG: “I only need to report when I cash out to GBP”

RIGHT: Every crypto-to-crypto trade is a taxable disposal

2. Missing Staking Rewards

WRONG: “Staking rewards are like dividends, not taxable until I sell”

RIGHT: Staking rewards are income, taxable at receipt

3. Incorrect Cost Basis

WRONG: Using purchase price of crypto sold (FIFO)

RIGHT: Using Section 104 pooling rules (UK-specific)

4. Forgetting DeFi Transactions

WRONG: “My DeFi activity is too complicated to report”

RIGHT: All DeFi swaps, liquidity provision, and yield farming must be reported

5. Not Claiming Losses

WRONG: “I lost money on crypto so I don't need to file”

RIGHT: You should file to claim losses against future gains

6. Filing Online But Forgetting to Pay

This is the #1 mistake. Filing ≠ Paying. You must do both by 31 January.

7. Missing Payments on Account

If you have crypto income (staking, mining, trading as business), you likely owe payments on account.

8. Using USD Values Instead of GBP

HMRC requires all calculations in GBP. Use exchange rates at transaction time.

What's Changing for Crypto Taxes in 2025/26 and Beyond

Looking ahead:

Immediate Changes

• Greater HMRC crypto focus: More automated checks on crypto exchange data
• CRS/FATCA data sharing: HMRC receives your exchange account data automatically
• Blockchain analysis: HMRC can track on-chain activity

Coming Changes

• Faster digital refunds: HMRC improving processing times
• Tighter anti-fraud checks: Especially for large crypto gains
• Potential new crypto reporting requirements: Watch for consultation papers
• Integration with Making Tax Digital: Possible future crypto reporting requirements

What This Means for You

• Keep better records now
• Don't assume crypto is “anonymous”
• File early to avoid end-of-season system overload
• Consider professional help if you have complex DeFi activity

Important: Loss Claim Deadlines (DON'T MISS THESE)

You can claim crypto losses to offset future gains, BUT there's a deadline:

You must claim losses within 4 years of the end of the tax year the loss occurred.

Current Loss Claim Deadlines (as of January 2026)

If you have unclaimed losses from 2021/22 (bear market), you MUST claim them by 5 April 2026 or they're lost FOREVER.

Year-End Tax Planning: Before 5 April 2026 (3 Months Away)

Last-minute strategies for 2025/26 tax year:

Use Your CGT Allowance

• You have £3,000 CGT allowance for 2025/26
• Dispose of crypto to realize gains up to £3,000
• Tax-free gains - use it or lose it on 5 April 2026

Harvest Tax Losses

• Sell crypto showing losses before 5 April 2026
• Losses offset gains in same year
• Excess losses carry forward indefinitely

Spouse Transfer Strategy

• Transfer crypto to spouse before 5 April 2026 (tax-free)
• Spouse can use their £3,000 allowance
• Combined allowances: £6,000 tax-free gains

Timing Large Disposals

• Disposing of £20,000+ crypto?
• Consider splitting: half before 5 April 2026, half after
• Uses two years' allowances

Bed and Breakfast Warning

• Can't sell and repurchase same crypto within 30 days and claim loss
• Alternatives: use spouse transfer, wait 31 days, or buy different crypto

FAQ: UK Crypto Tax Deadlines

Your Crypto Tax Action Plan: What to Do RIGHT NOW (January 2026)

If You Haven't Filed 2024/25 Yet (URGENT)

Days remaining until 31 January 2026

Immediate actions:

1. Today: Gather all exchange transaction histories
2. This week: Calculate all capital gains and income
3. Next week: Complete and file Self Assessment
4. By 31 January: FILE AND PAY

Can't complete by 31 January?

• File what you can by deadline (avoids late filing penalty)
• Pay estimated amount
• Request Time to Pay arrangement for remainder
• Professional help needed urgently

If You've Filed 2024/25 (Well Done!)

Focus on 2025/26 planning:

1. Set up systematic crypto transaction tracking
2. Review if you'll owe payments on account (31 July 2026)
3. Plan year-end strategies before 5 April 2026
4. Consider professional advice if your crypto activity is growing

If You Have Unclaimed 2021/22 Losses (CRITICAL)

Deadline: 5 April 2026 (3 months away)

1. Immediately: Calculate your 2021/22 crypto losses
2. This month: File loss relief claim or amend 2021/22 return
3. Evidence: Gather transaction records proving the loss

This is your LAST CHANCE to claim 2021/22 losses.

Final Thoughts: Making Crypto Tax Season Stress-Free

For January 2026, the most important dates are:

1. 31 January 2026 – file 2024/25 return AND pay all tax owed
2. 5 April 2026 – last chance for 2025/26 tax planning (3 months away)
3. 5 April 2026 – deadline to claim 2021/22 losses (if applicable)

Understanding tax year boundaries, tracking transactions as you go, and planning for payments on account removes nearly all the stress from crypto taxation.

Need Help with Crypto Tax Deadlines?

HashTax specializes in UK cryptocurrency taxation.

We provide:

• Complete transaction analysis across all exchanges
• Professional capital gains calculations
• Income vs capital gains classification
• DeFi activity interpretation
• Voluntary disclosure preparation
• HMRC inquiry representation
• Year-round support (not just January)

Book your free consultation: hashtax.io