Is Bitcoin subject to zakat?

Yes. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are treated as tradeable assets (urud al-tijarah) by the majority of contemporary scholars. Their full market value is added to your zakatable wealth. If your total zakatable assets exceed the nisab threshold and you have held them for one lunar year (hawl), zakat of 2.5% is due on the total.

Are crypto staking rewards zakatable?

Yes. Staking rewards are treated as income or profit from an asset. They are added to your total crypto holdings and are zakatable at the standard 2.5% rate. The rewards are included in your total zakatable wealth at their market value on your zakat due date.

How do I calculate zakat on cryptocurrency?

Take the total market value of all your crypto holdings (including staking rewards and DeFi positions) on your zakat due date. Add this to your other zakatable assets. If the total exceeds the nisab threshold, pay 2.5% on the entire zakatable amount. For example, if you hold $20,000 in crypto and $30,000 in other zakatable assets, your total is $50,000. Zakat due: $50,000 x 2.5% = $1,250.

Is Cryptocurrency Subject to Zakat?

Yes. Cryptocurrency is generally zakatable across all four Sunni madhabs. It is treated as a tradeable asset at full market value. Ja'fari followers apply khums (20% of surplus) rather than zakat on crypto holdings.

Why Crypto Is Zakatable

Contemporary scholars have classified cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets as tradeable goods (urud al-tijarah). Because they have measurable market value, can be exchanged, and are held as a store of wealth, they fall under the same zakat rules as stocks, commodities, and cash equivalents.

Unlike gold and silver, which have their own specific nisab thresholds, crypto does not have a standalone nisab. Instead, the market value of your crypto is added to your total zakatable wealth, and the combined amount is checked against the nisab threshold.

How Rafiq Calculates Zakat on Crypto

In Rafiq's calculation engine, cryptocurrency is treated as a standalone asset category. The full market value of your crypto holdings on your zakat due date is added to your total zakatable wealth at 100% (unlike investments/stocks which use a 1/3 ratio for the zakatable portion).

Madhab	Crypto Zakatable?	Rate	Notes
Hanafi	Yes	2.5% of full value	Treated as tradeable goods; debts and living expenses deducted first
Shafi'i	Yes	2.5% of full value	Zakat on gross assets; no debt deduction
Maliki	Yes	2.5% of full value	Debts deducted but not living expenses
Hanbali	Yes	2.5% of full value	Debts deducted
Ja'fari	No (Khums applies)	20% of surplus	Crypto treated as surplus income; subject to khums, not zakat

Staking Rewards and DeFi Yields

Staking rewards, liquidity pool earnings, and other DeFi yields are treated as income or profit from assets. They should be included in your total crypto holdings at their market value on your zakat due date. There is no special exemption or different rate for earned crypto versus purchased crypto.

Example Calculation

Suppose you hold 0.5 BTC ($25,000) and 10 ETH ($18,000), plus $2,000 in staking rewards. Following the Hanafi school with silver nisab (~$500):

Total crypto: $25,000 + $18,000 + $2,000 = $45,000
This is added to your other zakatable assets (cash, gold, investments, etc.)
If total zakatable wealth exceeds nisab: zakat = total × 2.5%
Crypto contribution to zakat: $45,000 × 2.5% = $1,125

NFTs and Other Digital Assets

NFTs held as collectibles for personal use may be treated differently from those held for trading. If you hold NFTs with the intention of resale or profit, they are classified as trade goods and are zakatable at market value. This is an area where scholarly opinions continue to develop, and Rafiq recommends consulting a scholar for edge cases.

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Sources & Methodology

Contemporary scholarly consensus on cryptocurrency classification as tradeable goods (urud al-tijarah)
AAOIFI Shariah Standards on Zakat (SS No. 35)
Rafiq calculation engine: crypto treated as full-value zakatable asset category
Validated against 150+ edge cases including crypto staking scenarios

Content by: Rafiq Team

Last reviewed: February 2026

View full methodology · Scholarly sources

Rafiq is an educational calculation tool, not a religious authority or tax advisor. Cryptocurrency zakat is an evolving area of Islamic jurisprudence. For complex holdings (DeFi protocols, wrapped tokens, governance tokens), consult a qualified Islamic scholar.