Compliance & ZakatUpdated 2026-06-10

Crypto Zakat Fatwa — How to Calculate Zakat on Cryptocurrency

فتوى زكاة العملات الرقمية

Once a Muslim investor holds halal cryptocurrency above the nisab threshold for a full lunar year (hawl), zakat becomes obligatory. The crypto zakat fatwa question covers: (1) whether crypto is zakatable at all, (2) how to calculate the value, (3) what rate applies, and (4) when the hawl clock starts.

By HalalCrypto Research Team · This is a Shariah research summary, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified Islamic finance scholar for individual rulings.

Scholarly references

·Mufti Faraz Adam — Zakat on Cryptocurrency
·National Zakat Foundation UK — Digital Asset Zakat Guide
·Indonesian MUI Fatwa No. 116/DSN-MUI/IX/2021 — Crypto as Zakatable Property
·Saudi Permanent Committee for Ifta — Zakat on Trading Goods

The ruling

The majority scholarly position is that cryptocurrency held above nisab for a full lunar year is subject to zakat as a trade good ('urud al-tijarah) or as a monetary equivalent (naqdayn analogy). The zakat rate is 2.5% of total crypto holdings (by market value on the zakat anniversary date). The nisab threshold is the equivalent of 87.48g of gold or 612.36g of silver in fiat value — check current gold/silver prices annually. For active traders, zakat is assessed on the total portfolio value on the zakat anniversary date, not on each individual trade.

Shariah evidence

Zakat on trading goods ('urud al-tijarah) is established in the Quran (2:267) and numerous ahadith: 'From the goods you have earned…'. Classical scholars held that all valuable, exchangeable property held for trade is zakatable. Cryptocurrency meets the criteria: it is valuable (people pay for it), exchangeable, and held for investment/trade. The naqdayn (gold/silver) nisab is the most commonly applied for crypto because crypto functions most like a monetary asset. The Hanafi school uses the silver nisab (lower threshold — more inclusive); Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools may apply gold nisab. Our zakat calculator at /tools/zakat-calculator uses both and lets you choose.

Permissible — conditions

✓Hawl: one full Islamic lunar year of holding above nisab
✓Nisab: holdings must exceed 87.48g gold equivalent or 612.36g silver equivalent in market value
✓Rate: 2.5% of total market value on the zakat anniversary date
✓Include all halal crypto holdings: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and screened altcoins
✓Exclude haram holdings from zakat calculation — repentance and disposal are separate obligations

Prohibited forms

✗Deliberately liquidating holdings just before the zakat anniversary to avoid nisab — tax evasion analogy, haram
✗Calculating zakat only on cost basis rather than current market value — underreporting

Trade only halal coins — automatically

Our spot-only trading bot applies the AAOIFI-aligned five-gate framework to every trade. No leverage. No staking. No derivatives. No interest products — ever. Conservative $49/mo · Moderate $69/mo · Multi-X $99/mo.

Start halal trading →

Frequently asked questions

›How much zakat do I pay on Bitcoin?

2.5% of your total Bitcoin (and all other halal crypto) market value on your zakat anniversary date, if total holdings exceed the nisab threshold (87.48g gold equivalent or 612.36g silver equivalent). Use our zakat calculator at /tools/zakat-calculator.

›When does the hawl clock start for crypto?

The hawl (one lunar year) starts from the date your holdings first exceed the nisab threshold, not from the purchase date. If holdings dip below nisab during the year, the clock resets.

›Do I pay zakat on unrealised gains?

Yes — zakat on crypto is assessed on market value at the zakat anniversary date, not on cost basis or realised gains. This is the majority position (treating crypto as trade goods).

›Is zakat due on staking rewards?

Yes, once received and above nisab. Staking rewards join your total crypto portfolio for zakat assessment.

Crypto Trading Fatwa
Scholarly consensus and minority opinions on crypto trading fatwa. Riba, gharar,…
Bitcoin Halal Fatwa
Complete overview of scholarly fatwas on Bitcoin. Which scholars permit it, whic…