If you are tax resident in South Africa, SARS taxes your worldwide crypto disposals, including activity on Crypto.com. Where the platform is based does not change what you have to declare. Selling, swapping between coins, and spending crypto are disposals, and each needs a rand value and a base cost.
Whether a gain counts as revenue or capital depends on how and why you trade, not on the platform. That, together with the annual exclusion, FIFO base cost and record-keeping, is covered in our guide to how SARS taxes crypto in South Africa. What follows here is the Crypto.com-specific part. Crypto.com runs two separate products, the Crypto.com App and the Crypto.com Exchange, and each has its own history, so check which ones you have used.
Connect the Crypto.com Exchange with an API key
Coinfig's Crypto.com API connection reads the Crypto.com Exchange. New Exchange keys are read-only by default, so there is nothing extra to switch off.
- Log in to your Crypto.com Exchange account and open your Profile in the top right corner.
- Select Manage Account, then API Management.
- Select Create a new API key, enter a label and your 2FA code.
- Leave the key on its default Can Read permission. Do not enable trading or withdrawals.
- Copy the public key and the secret key, then paste both into Coinfig when you add Crypto.com as a source.
Official guide: Crypto.com Exchange API
How to export your Crypto.com Exchange history
If you prefer files, or want to check the API import, export your Exchange history as CSV.
- On the Crypto.com Exchange, open the report you need: Trade History, Order History or Wallet Transactions History.
- Enter a date range, choose your filters and run the search.
- Click the Export icon and confirm in the pop-up.
- Download the file from the Export History tab within two days.
Wallet transaction exports cover up to one month per date range, and other reports up to six months, so you will need several exports to cover a long history. Each export comes with a summary file that tells you whether the 65,000 record limit cut anything off. Exchange history in these reports goes back to 1 November 2022.
Official guide: How do I export my transaction history? (Exchange)
How to export your Crypto.com App history
Activity in the Crypto.com App does not come through the Exchange API, so export it from the app and upload the files to Coinfig.
- On the Accounts page, tap the history icon in the top right corner.
- Tap Export in the top right corner.
- Choose Token Wallet, set a start and end date, and tap Export to CSV.
- When the report is ready, tap Download to save it.
- Repeat for your Cash Wallet from its own page, and for your Crypto.com Visa card under the Card tab, More, Settings, then Export Transaction History, if you use the card.
Each report can cover up to three years, and each download stays available for 30 days.
Official guide: How do I export my transaction history? (App)
What to declare to SARS from Crypto.com
- Every disposal, including swaps between coins and crypto you spent, at its rand value on the day.
- Base cost for each coin you disposed of, which may come from a purchase on another platform.
- Staking and similar rewards, as income at their rand value when received.
- Transfers between the App, the Exchange and your other accounts, documented so they are not counted as sales.
How Coinfig handles Crypto.com
- Imports your Crypto.com Exchange history through the read-only API, or from your Exchange CSV files.
- Imports your Crypto.com App history from the App's CSV exports.
- Converts every amount to rand at the time of the transaction and works out base cost with the FIFO method across every source you add.
- Matches transfers between the App, the Exchange and your other wallets, so moving coins to yourself is not read as a sale.
- Runs a completeness check that flags gaps 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
Does the Crypto.com API cover the App as well as the Exchange?
No. The API key comes from the Crypto.com Exchange and reads the Exchange. If you also use the Crypto.com App, export its Token Wallet and Cash Wallet history as CSV and upload those files too.
Is the Crypto.com Exchange API key read-only?
New keys default to Can Read, which lets Coinfig view your history without trading or withdrawing. Coinfig only asks for Can Read, so leave trading and withdrawals switched off.
Why does my Exchange export stop at November 2022?
Crypto.com's Exchange reports go back to 1 November 2022. If you used the Exchange before then, check what records you kept from that period, and run the completeness check to see where your history starts.
Is Crypto.com taxed differently because it is offshore?
No. Tax residency decides your obligation, not where the platform is based. South African tax residents generally declare worldwide crypto gains. The practical difference is converting values to rand and matching transfers to your local exchanges.
Get started on Coinfig to connect the Crypto.com Exchange or upload your App and Exchange files, check for gaps, and generate the figures for your return.
This article is general information, not tax advice. Crypto tax outcomes depend on your specific circumstances. For complex situations, consult a qualified tax practitioner.