How to Calculate Profit and Loss on Crypto

Josephine Inika -


Table of Contents

  • Why You Need to Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Losses
  • How To Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Loss
  • FAQs

For most, if not all, traders, the main objective of investing in cryptocurrencies is to make a profit.

While it's not always possible to profit from every trade, there are smart strategies you can employ to maximise your potential gains.

For instance, a general rule of thumb is to buy crypto when the prices are low and sell when they rise higher than your purchase price.

Plus, here's a little secret: as long as you hold onto your crypto without selling, you technically don't realise any loss because crypto prices have the potential to surge at any given moment. Applying this simple strategy can enhance your experience as a crypto investor.

But it’s also important to understand how to calculate your profit and loss on crypto investments. This knowledge will empower you to make more informed decisions and navigate the market like a pro.

Ready to learn? Let's dive right into it!

Why You Need to Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Losses

Understanding and calculating your crypto profit and losses can be a game-changer for your trading and investments.

Here are four reasons why it's so important:

1. To Become a Better Trader: The crypto market is fast-paced and competitive.

You need to think quickly and make informed decisions to thrive and succeed. Calculating your gains and losses allows you to assess whether a position will likely favour you or lead to potential losses.

With this knowledge, you can navigate the market more confidently and quickly.

2. To Increase Your Potential to Profit: Knowing how to calculate your crypto profit and losses can help you maximise your potential gains.

It's not uncommon for newcomers to miss out on profits simply because they didn't realise the gains they had made on their crypto investments in time to "Take Profit."

You can seize opportunities and optimise your returns by staying on top of your profits and losses.

3. Helps You Set Profit/Loss Limits: Strategy is key when investing in cryptocurrencies.

Calculating your potential gains and losses empowers you to set profit targets or limits on crypto prices. This way, you can make informed decisions on when to sell, mitigating the risk of losing your capital.

Clear profit/loss boundaries helps you maintain discipline and protect your investment.

4. Helps You Pick the Best Coins: Crypto coins vary in price, and their potential growth and daily percentage changes can differ significantly.

Knowing how to calculate your profit and losses allows you to assess the expected price changes of different coins.

This knowledge can help you distinguish between more volatile coins and those with more stable price movements. It also lets you pick the right coins based on their potential gains and manage your investment strategy accordingly.

Tokens with lower prices, such as Cardano, can experience fluctuations of 5% to 20% within a single day.

On the other hand, more expensive tokens like Bitcoin typically undergo more modest price changes, ranging from 1% to 8% in a day under typical market conditions.

How To Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Loss

Here are two ways you can calculate your crypto profit and loss:

1. Subtract the Selling Price from the Buy Price

One of the easiest ways to know how much you've made on your crypto is to subtract the selling price from the cost or buy price.

Selling Price - Buy Price

For example, let's assume you bought Bitcoin for its trading value of $ 20,000 and sold it once its price spiked to $20,500.

To realise your profit, you must subtract the selling price from the buy price.

So, that is $20,500 - $20,000 = $500. The remaining sum is your profit.

Likewise, to calculate a loss, let's assume BTC price falls and you sell at $17,000. It will be calculated as $17,000 - $20,000 = -$3000.

This means you're running at a loss of $3,000.

2. Use Profit Calculators

Traders who invest in multiple cryptocurrencies often rely on crypto profit calculators to swiftly calculate their gains and losses.

These calculators save time and effort by automating complex calculations within minutes.

Here are a couple of popular calculators:

1. Coinmash Calculator: This user-friendly calculator offers a simple setup that allows you to calculate your crypto profits efficiently.

You enter the amount you invested, the currency used, the specific token you purchased, and the purchase date.

By inputting these details, the calculator swiftly provides you with key information such as the purchase price, current price, return on investment (ROI), and present worth. Handy, isn't it?

2. Easy Bitcoin Calculator: As its name suggests, this calculator specialises in calculating profits and losses specifically for Bitcoin investments.

Like the Coinmash Calculator, you input the cost price (purchase price), selling price, and total number of Bitcoins you bought.

The unique feature here is that you can also include transaction fees incurred during the buying or selling process.

Additionally, this calculator offers options to choose between long and short methods of profit calculation, catering to different trading strategies.

To Recap

Why You Need to Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Losses:

  • Become a Better Trader: Calculating gains and losses helps make informed decisions, increasing confidence and agility in fast-paced crypto markets.
  • Increase Profit Potential: Tracking profits and losses allows traders to take timely action, optimising returns by not missing opportunities.
  • Set Profit/Loss Limits: Helps set clear profit targets or loss limits, maintaining discipline and reducing the risk of losing capital.
  • Pick the Best Coins: Evaluating profit and losses enables better coin selection based on volatility and potential gains, aiding investment strategy.

How To Calculate Your Crypto Profit and Loss:

1. Subtract Selling Price from Buy Price:
Formula: Selling Price - Buy Price
Example: Buy Bitcoin at $20,000, sell at $20,500 = $500 profit.
If sold at $17,000, it's a $3,000 loss.

2. Use Profit Calculators:

  • Coinmash Calculator: Enter investment details to quickly calculate purchase price, ROI, and current value.
  • Easy Bitcoin Calculator: Specialises in Bitcoin, includes transaction fees, and supports long/short trading strategies.


FAQs

Q: How do you calculate gains and losses on crypto?

A: To calculate gains or losses on crypto, you subtract the initial investment cost from the current value of your crypto holdings. The formula is [(Current Value - Initial Investment) / Initial Investment] * 100 to get the percentage gain or loss.

Q: What is a crypto profit calculator?

A: A crypto profit calculator is a tool that helps you determine the potential profit or loss on your cryptocurrency investments. It usually considers factors like initial investment, current market value, and fees to provide a calculated result.

Q: How do you take profit out of crypto?

A: To take profit from crypto, you can sell your cryptocurrency on a trading platform. You'll need to choose the amount to sell and execute the trade. Afterwards, you can withdraw the proceeds to your linked bank account or use them for other investments.

Q: How can I calculate my gains or losses?

A: To calculate gains or losses, subtract the initial investment from the current value of your crypto holdings. The formula is [(Current Value - Initial Investment) / Initial Investment] * 100 to get the percentage gain or loss.

Q: How do you calculate crypto percentage?

A: To calculate the percentage change in crypto value, use the formula [(Current Value - Initial Value) / Initial Value] * 100. This provides the percentage increase or decrease in the cryptocurrency's value.

Q: Is crypto a capital gain or loss?

A: Yes, gains or losses from cryptocurrency transactions are generally considered capital gains or losses. Reporting these on your tax returns according to your country's tax regulations is important.

Q: Can you count losses on crypto?

A: Yes, you can count losses on crypto. When calculating gains and losses for tax purposes, you can offset losses against gains to determine the net capital gain or loss. Be sure to comply with tax regulations in your jurisdiction when reporting cryptocurrency transactions.

Disclaimer: This article was written to provide guidance and understanding. It is not an exhaustive article and should not be taken as financial advice. Obiex will not be held liable for your investment decisions.