If you sold, swapped or spent crypto on AltCoinTrader, SARS treats it as the disposal of an asset, not as spending currency, and expects it on your return. AltCoinTrader lets you download your trade history as a CSV file, but that file is a record of what happened, not a tax calculation. Coinfig turns it into the figures you need, either from a direct API connection or from the CSV files.
Whether a gain counts as revenue or capital depends on how and why you trade, not on which exchange you used. The full explanation, together with the annual exclusion, FIFO base cost and record-keeping, is in our guide to how SARS taxes crypto in South Africa. What follows here is the AltCoinTrader-specific part: which files to download, how to connect an API key, and what Coinfig does with the data.
How to export your AltCoinTrader history
AltCoinTrader keeps trades, deposits and withdrawals in separate lists under History, so plan on downloading more than one file.
- Log in at altcointrader.co.za with your email address and password.
- In the top menu, click History, then Trades.
- Use the drop-down to choose a cryptocurrency, then click Export CSV. The download starts straight away.
- Repeat step 3 for every cryptocurrency you have traded, since the export follows the coin you have selected.
- Your withdrawals sit in their own list under History, then Withdrawals. Trades are only part of the picture, so make sure the money and coins that moved in and out of your account are covered as well. The API connection below imports deposits and withdrawals for you.
Two details from AltCoinTrader's own help article matter for tax. The rand value shown on each trade is the value when the trade happened, which is what you need. AltCoinTrader's fees are not included in the trade history, so the trade file alone will not reconcile to your balances.
Official guides: Where can I find my trade history? and How do I check my withdrawal status?
Connect AltCoinTrader with an API key
Coinfig has a direct AltCoinTrader API connection, so you can skip the per-coin exports. AltCoinTrader's help centre does not publish an article on API keys, so these steps follow Coinfig's AltCoinTrader connect guide:
- In AltCoinTrader, open Account, then API.
- Create a key and tick View Account and Make Deposits. AltCoinTrader uses the Make Deposits permission for reading your deposit and withdrawal history.
- If you ever used Easy Save, tick Savings as well so Coinfig can see your interest.
- Leave Trading and Make Withdrawals unticked.
- In Coinfig, add a new source, choose AltCoinTrader, and paste the key and secret.
AltCoinTrader has no read-only version of the Savings permission. A key with Savings ticked can also move funds between your wallet and your savings account. Coinfig never asks for Trading or Make Withdrawals and only reads with the key. Leave Savings unticked if you never used Easy Save.
What SARS expects on your return
For each tax year (1 March to end February) you need:
- Every disposal: proceeds and base cost in rand.
- Income items, such as Easy Save interest, at their value when you received them.
- Records that show transfers between your own accounts, so they are not counted as disposals.
- A split between revenue and capital items where your activity calls for one.
How Coinfig handles AltCoinTrader
- Imports trades, deposits and withdrawals through the API, or from your CSV files.
- Treats Easy Save moves as transfers of your own funds, and the interest as income, so your savings capital is not mistaken for new income.
- Works out base cost with the FIFO method across every source you add.
- Matches AltCoinTrader withdrawals to deposits on your other exchanges and wallets.
- Runs a completeness check that flags gaps, such as an unmatched withdrawal, before you rely on the figures.
Coinfig is a calculation and reporting tool, not a tax adviser. For complex treatment questions, have a qualified practitioner review the output.
Frequently asked questions
Which AltCoinTrader files do I need for my tax return?
Download the trade history for every coin you have traded, and make sure your deposits and withdrawals are covered too, either from your own records or through the API connection. Trades alone miss the movements in and out of your account, and AltCoinTrader's trade history leaves out fees.
Does the AltCoinTrader API key let Coinfig trade?
No. Coinfig asks you to leave Trading and Make Withdrawals unticked, so the key cannot place trades or send crypto out of your account. The one exception to watch is Savings, which can move funds between your wallet and savings if you tick it.
Is Easy Save interest taxable?
Interest from Easy Save is generally treated as income when you receive it. Moving your own capital into and out of savings is not a disposal. Coinfig keeps the two apart.
What if I also use Luno or VALR?
Add every exchange and wallet you have used. A gain on one platform depends on what you paid on another. See the Luno tax report guide and the VALR tax report guide for their export steps.
Get started on Coinfig to connect AltCoinTrader or upload your CSV files, run the completeness check, and export your report.
This article is general information, not tax advice. Crypto tax outcomes depend on your specific circumstances. For complex situations, consult a qualified tax practitioner.