Grouped Transaction: Trade
Layla Huang avatar
Written by Layla Huang
Updated over a week ago

Buy, Sell, and Trade

Typically, a 'buy' and a 'sell' transaction are grouped together as a 'trade' in CTC when they occur simultaneously and share the same value. For on-chain transactions, they must also have an identical Transaction ID (Tx ID) to be considered part of the same trade.

There are instances, however, where the 'buy' and 'sell' transactions do not group together. It's important to note that whether these transactions are grouped or not does NOT impact the calculation of capital gains in your reports. Nonetheless, it's crucial to verify the accuracy of both the 'sell' and 'buy' values. Refer to the example below for further clarification. In the below image, as a 'trade' transaction,

'Sell' value (i.e. Proceeds) = Fee (optional) + 'Buy' value

However, the calculation of capital gains for this transaction is based on the cost basis of the sold asset (i.e. CRV). In the screenshot below, you can see that the gain is unrelated to the value or cost basis of the asset that was bought (i.e. ETH). Even though they are presented as a 'trade' in CTC for clearer visualization, the capital gains calculations in the reports are exclusively for the disposed asset, CRV.

How to Match The Values

If the goal of grouping as a trade is to match the values of the incoming and outgoing transactions, you can follow the below steps to edit the value:

1. Click the value of the transaction you want to adjust.

2. Enter the value you want it to be adjusted to and update.

Sometimes, transactions may still not group together. This does not impact your reports or calculations, but only affects visualization. You don't need to worry about it as long as the values are accurate.

How to Adjust the Cost Base or Gain

If the goal of grouping transactions as a trade is to correct the incorrect cost base or gain for the disposed or outgoing assets, then grouping the transactions will not be helpful. As mentioned above, the capital gains calculations in the reports are exclusively for the disposed asset. You can follow the below steps to find the incorrect cost base and adjust it by reviewing the related transactions.

1. Expand the 'sell' or 'outgoing' transaction and click the inspect icon next to the acquisition transaction. (Note: There can be multiple acquisition transactions with the categories being buy, staking rewards, mint, income, etc.)

Note: We recommend proceeding with the following steps only if you observe clearly incorrect values.

2. A new tab will show all relevant transactions with the one you selected marked in a different color. Click the value to continue.

3. Edit the value to change the cost base of the disposed asses in the original transaction.

Note: If you're not using the FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory method, this approach may not be effective. For instance, with the HIFO (Highest In, First Out) method, the cost base will be higher or lower than the original. In such cases, an alternate cost base might be computed instead of the adjusted cost base you intended.

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