How to Track Crypto Across Multiple Blockchains

With crypto spread across Ethereum, Solana, multiple Layer 2s, and various DeFi protocols, keeping track of everything has become one of the biggest practical challenges for investors.

The multi-chain problem

Five years ago, most people held everything on Ethereum. Today, a typical active crypto user might have ETH and tokens on Ethereum mainnet, positions on Arbitrum and Base for cheaper DeFi, SOL and SPL tokens on Solana, bridged assets across multiple chains, and staked positions in various protocols. Checking each chain individually through its block explorer is tedious and error-prone.

What you need to track

For tax and portfolio management purposes, you need to know: current balances across all chains, the historical cost basis of every acquisition, any unrealised gains or losses, DeFi positions (lending, staking, LP), NFTs, and pending rewards or claimable tokens.

Manual tracking with spreadsheets

Some people track everything in a spreadsheet. This works for small portfolios but breaks down quickly with DeFi. Every swap, stake, unstake, claim, and bridge creates new line items. A single Uniswap V3 position can generate dozens of transactions. Spreadsheet tracking becomes a full-time job for active users.

Portfolio tracking tools

Dedicated portfolio trackers like CryptoLens, Zapper, and DeBank scan your wallets across multiple chains and aggregate everything into one dashboard. The key differences are which chains they support, whether they detect DeFi positions, how they handle pricing, and whether they offer tax calculations.

The CryptoLens approach

CryptoLens scans 8 chains (Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, Solana, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, and Base) from a single wallet address. It automatically detects standard tokens, DeFi positions on major protocols, and NFT holdings. Because it is UK-focused, all values are shown in GBP with HMRC-compliant tax calculations built in. Scan your wallet once and see everything in one place.

Best practices

Use a consistent set of wallet addresses across chains. Consider using a single hardware wallet that supports multiple chains. Name your wallets so you remember which is which. And scan regularly — crypto moves fast, and knowing your exact position at any given time is essential for both investment decisions and tax compliance.