Crypto Tax Shock: Advance Payments Won't Arrive Until Assessment Notices

The third income tax advance payment for 2026 is due on September 10. For many crypto investors, this date may not be significant because they are unlikely to have received an advance payment notice from the tax office in the first place.

This is a crucial issue: anyone who realised meaningful gains on crypto assets in 2026 will owe income tax on them, but it's likely they won't pay anything until they receive their assessment notice. This means they'll face late payment interest on top of their tax bill.

The law sets four fixed dates for advance payments: March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10. The September 10 deadline is the third of these dates for 2026. If you have an advance payment notice, you should pay on this date. If not, don't worry, but be aware that you're accumulating a tax debt that will need to be paid in full later.

The timing of advance payments isn't unique to 2026; it's the statutory default. However, this year is interesting due to the market backdrop: Bitcoin briefly traded above $81,000 in late August after rising twenty percent within a week. Anyone who sold their Bitcoin before twelve months have held it will owe tax on the gain, even if the price goes up or down afterwards.