Australia Plans to Reduce Capital Gains Tax Discount, Potentially Affecting Long-Term Digital Asset Holders

Odaily Planet Daily News: Australian authorities plan to amend the capital gains tax system in the upcoming federal budget, with the adjustment covering cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Currently, the Australian Tax Office treats most cryptocurrencies as capital gains tax assets, allowing individual investors who hold them for over 12 months to enjoy a 50% reduction in taxable gains.

According to reports, the government is currently considering lowering the 50% discount rate to between 25% and 33%, or adopting inflation indexing to replace the fixed discount, meaning only the real appreciation above inflation would be taxed. The reform applies to stocks, exchange-traded funds, and digital currencies outside of pension accounts. Analysis indicates that the new rules could reduce the after-tax returns on high-growth tokens and may prompt retail investors to adjust their portfolios before the policy potentially takes effect on July 1, 2026. Specific details are pending confirmation in the Finance Minister's budget report.