Crypto taxes Switzerland 2025 can be confusing at first. Who likes paying taxes? But what must be, must be. Ownership and income from cryptocurrencies are also subject to tax. But it’s not that complicated. They are treated similarly to other securities in Switzerland. Find out how you can avoid making mistakes with your coins when it comes to crypto taxes in Switzerland 2025.
Various representative studies from 2024 show that people in Switzerland are apparently quite crypto-savvy. Some use crypto in pillar 3a, others are thinking about cryptos for retirement provision. In a study conducted by HSLU, 11% of respondents stated that they own cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Other studies come up with comparable figures, one of them as high as 23%. Even if the studies show that most investors are still operating with manageable amounts, the question for many is: crypto taxes in Switzerland in 2025 – how does that work?
What do I have to declare for cryptocurrencies in my tax return?
If you own cryptocurrencies, you must declare them as assets in your tax return. You must declare all types of cryptocurrencies, be it Bitcoin, Ethereum or something else. To do this, you must determine the value of your cryptocurrencies as at December 31 of each year. The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) publishes a list with the official market values for common cryptocurrencies. The FTA publishes official tax values for this purpose. These correspond to the average of various trading platforms(deep link for cryptocurrencies 2024). For less frequently traded cryptocurrencies, you can use the price of a common trading platform such as Coinmarketcap. If there is no market value, simply enter the original purchase price in francs for crypto taxes Switzerland 2025.🧾
You must also declare income from cryptocurrencies that count as income, such as rewards from staking or mining. Airdrops and hard forks are also treated as income. You must also declare these in your tax return.
You do not have to declare capital gains from the sale. These are tax-free for private investors.
Where do I have to declare my cryptocurrencies?
In your tax return, you list the individual cryptocurrencies in the list of securities and assets under “Assets/other undeclared investments”. The value as at December 31 of the respective year is decisive.
You declare income from these cryptocurrencies, such as staking or airdrops, in the “Gross income without withholding tax deduction” column.
What is the year-end price of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin?
The FTA calculates the year-end rates as an average value from various trading platforms. These prices are binding for the assessment by the cantonal tax authorities.
How are capital gains and assets in cryptocurrencies taxed?
Price gains from trading cryptocurrencies are generally tax-free in Switzerland as long as the trade is not classified as a commercial activity. This means that you do not pay tax on profits from the sale of cryptocurrencies unless you trade professionally. Price losses, on the other hand, cannot be claimed for tax purposes as a private individual.
Assets in cryptocurrencies are subject to annual wealth tax. The tax rate is generally between 0.3 % and 1 % of the asset value and is progressive. The tax-free amount is around CHF 100,000 per person.
Anna in Zurich owns around ₿₿₿₿ Bitcoin, which has risen in value to 50,000 francs. She has to declare the value of her bitcoins in her tax return and pay the corresponding wealth tax. If she sells her bitcoins and makes a profit, this remains tax-free as long as she is not classified as a professional trader.
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When am I classified as a professional trader of cryptocurrencies?
Your trading in Bitcoins & Co. is classified as commercial if it goes beyond the usual scope of private asset management. There are a number of criteria that indicate commercial trading from the point of view of the Federal Tax Administration; the topic is even worthy of its own circular no. 36.
Indications of professional trading are, for example, if you have significant knowledge of the market, use borrowed funds or have a high asset turnover rate. A high transaction volume that exceeds five times your initial holdings is an indicator of professional trading.
Lukas from Zurich regularly trades cryptocurrencies and uses borrowed capital to increase his positions. He frequently sells and buys in order to profit from price movements. In this case, the tax authorities could classify his trading as commercial.
In summary, the following criteria indicate a professional trader:
- High transaction frequency: A short holding period of the securities sold (less than six months) may be an indication of professional trading.
- Use of borrowed capital: If you use substantial borrowed funds to finance your investments, this is a strong indication of commercial trading.
- High transaction volume: If the total transaction volume within a year exceeds five times your initial holdings, this could be an indication of commercial trading.
- Income share for living expenses: If more than 50% of your total income comes from trading cryptocurrencies, this can be considered commercial trading.
- Trading in derivatives: Intensive trading in derivatives, such as options, can also be an indication of professional trading.
The criteria are not exhaustive and are assessed in an overall assessment. If you are classified as a professional trader, your profits will be subject to income tax and you will have to pay social security contributions. You probably don’t want that. You should therefore avoid “ticking” too many of these criteria – you should primarily avoid using leverage. 🙅
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What do I do if I have not received a capital or asset statement for my cryptocurrency?
Do you own cryptocurrencies but do not receive a capital or asset statement from your trading platform? Crypto trading platforms such as Etoro, Coinbase or Binance do not usually issue such proofs.
Then there are other ways to prove your holdings for crypto taxes Switzerland 2025. You can then use a screenshot of your wallet or portfolio on December 31 as proof. This screenshot should show the current holdings and value of your cryptocurrencies. Laura from Lucerne, for example, uses a screenshot of her crypto wallet on December 31 to prove the value of her cryptocurrencies at the end of the year. She prints it out and attaches it to her tax return.
Can I deduct losses from tax when I pay tax on cryptocurrencies?
No. As a private investor, you cannot deduct losses from the sale of cryptocurrencies from your taxes. This is the opposite of tax-free capital gains.
However, if you are classified as a professional trader, your profits are subject to income tax and you can deduct losses from your taxable income.
Do I have to declare my minor child’s cryptocurrencies on my tax return?
Yes. In Switzerland, parents or guardians are responsible for declaring their minor children’s assets for tax purposes. If your teenagers own cryptocurrencies, you must declare them on their tax return as part of the child’s assets with their value as of December 31.
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I have forgotten to declare my bitcoins on my tax return. What should I do?
Oops. 🙊 You should rectify your tax-related forgetfulness quickly. This is because the tax authorities assume that any non-declaration or incomplete declaration is the result of intentional or negligent behavior. The penalty for tax evasion is generally one times the amount of tax evaded. In the case of slight negligence, the fine can be reduced to one third of the additional tax, while it can be increased to three times the amount in the case of serious negligence.
To avoid prosecution, you can submit a voluntary declaration without penalty to the competent tax authority. This is advantageous if it is the first voluntary disclosure. In this case, you will generally not be prosecuted and will only have to pay the unpaid tax plus default interest. For each subsequent voluntary disclosure, the fine can be reduced to one fifth of the tax evaded.
Summary: Crypto taxes Switzerland 2025
The tax return for Bitcoin & Co in Switzerland is actually not that difficult. As private individuals, we note the following.
You declare cryptocurrencies with their current market value at the end of the tax year and the income received in your tax return. The value of your cryptocurrencies is therefore subject to annual wealth tax.
You must declare all income from cryptocurrencies as investment income. Income includes all passive income that you have generated with cryptocurrencies, such as income from mining, staking, liquidity mining and lending. The time of the (tax) inflow is decisive for the valuation. In the tax return, the income is declared together with the values of the cryptocurrencies concerned.
Gains from capital appreciation in private assets are tax-free on sale. However, you cannot deduct losses in value. However, if you are classified as a professional trader, your profits are subject to income tax. You can then also claim the losses.
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Disclaimer
We have taken great care in compiling the content of this article. Nevertheless, we cannot rule out errors and cannot guarantee that the content is correct, up-to-date or complete. This article does not replace tax advice. We do not offer investment or tax advice and recommend that tax issues are always clarified with a tax expert and/or the relevant cantonal tax authorities. Any liability is rejected.
FAQS
How are airdrops and staking income treated in the tax return?
Airdrops are treated as income from movable assets in Switzerland and are subject to income tax. The market value of the cryptocurrencies at the time of allocation is decisive. Staking income is also considered income from movable assets and is taxable.
What are airdrops?
You receive a free cryptocurrency in your wallet for advertising purposes or as a reward. Such airdrops are considered income. You must therefore pay tax on them at the value the airdrops had at the time you received them.
What is staking income?
Do you use your cryptocurrencies to support a blockchain network and receive compensation in the form of additional coins or tokens? Then this is called staking rewards. You must also pay tax on these as income at the value at the time you receive the reward.
What is the speculation period for crypto taxes Switzerland 2025?
None. In Switzerland, there is no speculation period for the sale of cryptocurrencies. This means that profits from the sale of cryptocurrencies are tax-free as long as the cryptocurrencies are traded as private assets and the trade is not classified as a commercial activity. In the case of commercial trading, profits are subject to income tax, regardless of the holding period.
Last update: 31.03.2025 17:51
