UK Government Defers Capital Gains on Certain Crypto with ‘No Gain, No Loss’ Approach
The UK government has announced a change in tax policy regarding capital gains on certain cryptocurrencies. Starting April 6, 2027, the government will treat disposals involving crypto loans and liquidity pools as transactions that defer capital gains requirements.
Intelligence analysis by Llama

The UK government has introduced a new tax policy that will defer capital gains on certain cryptocurrencies. This change will impact about 700,000 individuals and trustees in the UK.
Imagine you lend someone money, and they promise to pay you back with interest. But instead of getting paid back in cash, you get paid back in a special kind of money called cryptocurrency. The UK government is changing the rules so that if you lend or borrow cryptocurrency, you won't have to pay taxes on it until you actually get paid back.
Analysis
A Shift in Tax Policy
The UK government has announced a significant change in tax policy regarding capital gains on certain cryptocurrencies. Starting April 6, 2027, the government will treat disposals involving crypto loans and liquidity pools as transactions that defer capital gains requirements. This change is expected to impact about 700,000 individuals and trustees in the UK.
Why This Matters
This change in tax policy has significant implications for individuals and businesses involved in cryptocurrency lending and liquidity pools in the UK. The new policy will ensure that gains and losses are generally recognized only when the participant makes an economic disposal of the cryptoassets. This approach aligns the tax treatment more closely with the economics of these arrangements.
The Road Ahead
The new policy is expected to bring about a significant change in the way individuals and businesses approach cryptocurrency lending and liquidity pools in the UK. It remains to be seen how this change will impact the industry and whether it will lead to increased adoption of these arrangements.
Key points
- The UK government has announced a change in tax policy regarding capital gains on certain cryptocurrencies.
- Starting April 6, 2027, the government will treat disposals involving crypto loans and liquidity pools as transactions that defer capital gains requirements.
- This change is expected to impact about 700,000 individuals and trustees in the UK.
- The new policy will ensure that gains and losses are generally recognized only when the participant makes an economic disposal of the cryptoassets.
If this new policy is successful, it could lead to increased adoption of cryptocurrency lending and liquidity pools in the UK. This could also lead to the development of new financial products and services that take advantage of these arrangements.
However, there are also risks associated with this new policy. For example, it could lead to a decrease in tax revenue for the UK government, which could have negative consequences for public finances.


