Taxable event
Also known as: taxable trigger
Any transaction or occurrence that creates a tax consequence — for crypto, typically a disposal or the receipt of income such as a reward.
Definition
A taxable event is anything that triggers a tax outcome. For crypto the main taxable events are disposals (sell, swap, spend), which can produce a capital gain or loss, and income receipts such as staking rewards, mining income or airdrops, which are taxed as revenue when received. Simply buying crypto with fiat or moving it between your own wallets is generally not a taxable event.
Example
Buying ETH with rands is not a taxable event. Swapping that ETH for SOL is — it is a disposal, and you calculate the gain or loss.
Jurisdiction notes
- South Africa: In South Africa, crypto-to-crypto swaps and spending are taxable events; buying with fiat and self-transfers generally are not.