When you buy, sell, or trade cryptocurrency, a digital asset recognized by Canada’s tax agency as property, not currency. Also known as digital currency, it’s subject to the same tax rules as stocks or real estate. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the federal body that enforces tax laws. Also known as CRA, it treats every crypto trade like a barter transaction — meaning you owe tax when you profit. This isn’t a gray area. If you sold Bitcoin for CAD, swapped Ethereum for Solana, or earned rewards from staking, the CRA wants to know.
Most people think only selling crypto triggers taxes, but that’s not true. Trading one coin for another? Taxable. Receiving crypto as payment for work? Taxable. Mining crypto and selling it later? Also taxable. Even small transactions — like buying coffee with Dogecoin — count. The CRA doesn’t care if you made $5 or $5,000. If there’s a gain, it’s reportable. Your crypto wallet, a digital tool that holds your private keys and tracks your holdings. Also known as crypto custody, it’s your record keeper — but not your tax shield. The CRA can demand transaction history from exchanges, even if you used non-KYC platforms. They’ve already matched data from major Canadian exchanges like Newton and Bitbuy. Ignoring this won’t make it disappear.
Keeping records isn’t optional. You need the date of every transaction, what you bought or sold, the value in CAD at the time, and the platform you used. No receipts? No problem — most wallets and exchanges export CSV files. Use them. The CRA doesn’t accept guesses. If you’re mining crypto, your income is the fair market value of the coins when they hit your wallet. If you’re staking, those rewards are income too. Capital gains are calculated on the difference between what you paid and what you sold for. Half of that gain is taxed at your regular income rate. No special crypto rates. No loopholes. Just plain tax law.
Some try to hide crypto activity by using offshore exchanges or DeFi platforms. But Canada’s rules follow the asset, not the platform. Whether you traded on Binance, Uniswap, or a private peer-to-peer deal, the tax obligation stays the same. The CRA’s focus isn’t just on big traders — they’re auditing small-time users too. Last year, over 12,000 Canadians received letters asking for crypto transaction records. This isn’t a scare tactic. It’s enforcement.
What you’ll find below are real reviews and deep dives into crypto platforms — some regulated, some not — but every one of them has tax implications for Canadian users. Whether you’re trading on a non-KYC exchange, earning yield on a DeFi protocol, or mining with cheap electricity, your actions have a paper trail. These posts don’t just explain how platforms work — they show you where the tax risks hide. You won’t find fluff here. Just straight facts about what you’re doing, what the CRA sees, and how to stay compliant without overpaying.
Understand how Canada taxes cryptocurrency in 2025: capital gains vs. business income, reporting rules, penalties, tax loss harvesting, and new CRA requirements. Know what you owe and how to file correctly.