Taxable Crypto Transactions
Exploring the various crypto transactions and crypto taxes consequences is essential for individuals navigating the world of cryptocurrency. This analysis centers on the tax implications of crypto activities in the United States as outlined by the IRS. Our comprehensive resources on international crypto taxes offer valuable insights to global taxpayers in this evolving landscape of digital assets.
Find your PriorTax dedicated Tax Professional to walk you through your crypto tax filing from start to finish to file your taxes and maximize your tax refund accurately.
Crypto Tax From Crypto Losses
In taxation, it is important to recognize that losses incurred in cryptocurrency investments can serve as a valuable means to counterbalance the taxes applied to profits derived from the sale of various capital assets. For individuals with a tax filing status of single or married filing jointly, the losses can be used to offset up to $3,000 of income.
Individuals have the opportunity to lower their tax burden by accounting for cryptocurrency losses on their tax returns. This strategy allows them to lessen their overall tax liability by decreasing their taxable income through the inclusion of losses from crypto investments.
Crypto Taxes on Lost or Stolen Crypto
Unfortunately, when you find yourself without lost or stolen cryptocurrency, there is no specific process for claiming losses related to theft. The IRS clarified 2018 that deductions for losses are only permitted in cases of federally declared disasters, using Form 4684 (Casualties and Thefts).
Crypto Taxes on your income
US taxpayers must adhere to tax regulations when it comes to dealing with cryptocurrencies. Income generated from certain crypto-related activities is subject to taxation at the prevailing rates of 10-37%.
- Cryptocurrency mining
- The sum from Crypto Staking
- Receiving Cryptocurrency from selling goods and/or services
- Crypto taxes from selling crypto and trading crypto
The IRS considers the following crypto transaction as taxable events:
- Trading one crypto for another crypto (e.g., BTC for ETH)
- Using crypto for buying goods or services (e.g., BTC for a Tesla)
- Exchanging crypto for fiat currency (e.g., BTC for USD)
- Other form of selling or disposal of crypto
In the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), cryptocurrency is categorized as property and is subject to taxation based on this classification. US taxpayers are required to pay taxes on their cryptocurrency holdings at rates equivalent to those applied to short- or long-term capital gains from stock investments or standard income tax rates, depending on the method through which the cryptocurrency was obtained.
When it comes to cryptocurrency investments in the United States, the tax implications differ based on the duration of asset holding. Short-term capital gains on crypto assets held for under a year are taxed at variable rates from 10% to 37%, depending on the individual’s income and tax bracket. Long-term capital gains held more than a year on profits from crypto have a 0-20% rate.
Crypto Taxes for Moving Crypto Between Digital Wallets
When transferring cryptocurrency from one wallet to another, there is no tax implication as long as the transfer involves only moving the tokens without engaging in trades with other cryptocurrencies or converting them into regular fiat currencies at the time of transfer.
Crypto Taxes When Buying Cryptocurrency with Stablecoins
In the realm of stablecoin fluctuations, the slight changes in value typically do not significantly affect the overall tax responsibility. However, it remains crucial to include details of stablecoin activities in your tax filings. Similar to trading fiat currency, engaging in transactions involving stablecoins within the cryptocurrency realm carries comparable tax considerations.
Crypto Tax from Crypto Staking
When it comes to crypto staking taxes, it is important to consider both income and capital gains. The proper procedure includes declaring the staking rewards’ fair market value at the time of receipt and calculating capital gains or losses when the staked assets are eventually disposed of.
Crypto Taxes for Adding/Removing Liquidity from DeFi Protocols
Engaging in a DeFi liquidity pool may have tax implications that should not be overlooked. Depending on the situation, exchanging your digital assets for a liquidity pool token, which symbolizes your ownership in the pool, could result in a taxable event subject to the usual capital gains regulations. Conversely, when you stake your tokens in the pool and then acquire rewards tokens, taxes are typically incurred when you collect those rewards.
Exiting a liquidity pool and assessing gains or losses presents an additional tax consideration. The absence of clear IRS directives regarding liquidity mining has generated ambiguity. Comparisons to the IRS’s treatment of airdrop and fork coin income have fueled speculation that similar categorization may be applied to liquidity mining rewards, potentially classifying them as income instead of capital gains.
Crypto Tax on Airdrops and Hard Forks
According to official IRS guidelines, airdrops and hard forks are subject to taxation. The taxable income should be based on the digital currency’s fair market value (FMV) when it is received. The timestamp on the transaction ledger or blockchain determines the date of receipt.
Crypto Taxes on Bankruptcies
If you find yourself in possession of cryptocurrency that loses value due to another entity’s bankruptcy following the resolution of a cryptocurrency company’s insolvency proceedings, you may offset the loss incurred by using the initial purchase price of the cryptocurrency against any gains you have made.
Should you experience an excess loss, you can deduct it from your usual income sources, like salaries, up to $3,000 for single filers or those married filing jointly ($1,500 for married filing separately). Any leftover loss beyond this threshold can be rolled over to the next tax year for application.
Crypto Taxes on Crypto Gifts and Crypto Donations
In the case of receiving cryptocurrency as a gift, the aspect of gifting taxes is not triggered at the onset. Tax implications arise when the cryptocurrency is sold, leading to potential capital gains or losses for the recipient. If the digital assets are sold at a profit, the recipient’s cost basis aligns with that of the donor. Conversely, suppose the cryptocurrency is sold at a loss. In that case, the recipient’s basis is determined by taking the lower value between the donor’s basis and the fair market value at the time of receipt.
There are no tax implications to consider when presenting cryptocurrency as a gift. However, receivers need to be aware of the donor’s original asset value. If you choose to contribute cryptocurrency to a charitable organization recognized under section 501(c)(3), you can claim a tax-free deduction.
Crypto tax from Crypto Mining
The taxation rules surrounding crypto mining vary depending on the geographical region. In the United States, individuals engaged in crypto mining can anticipate taxes on their mining rewards as income and on the capital gains generated from the sale of mined coins. There are differences in how taxes are imposed on hobbyist miners compared to professional miners running mining operations as a business. Professional miners may be eligible for certain tax deductions based on business activities.
Crypto Taxes on DeFi
When engaging in DeFi crypto staking, the returns generated may be liable for taxation under either capital gains or income, depending on how they are received. These returns can come in the form of additional tokens or an appreciation in the value of the tokens already held. Some DeFi platforms offer interest or incentives by depositing extra coins directly into the lender’s wallet.
Crypto Tax on DAOs
In instances where a US taxpayer receives cryptocurrency from a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) in exchange for goods or services, it is obligatory to disclose this as income. Any gains made from selling these assets later on are liable to be taxed as capital gains. Moreover, if the distributions include governance tokens or non-fungible tokens (NFTs), they are also considered taxable income. Profits derived from vending these allocated assets are similarly subject to capital gains taxation.
Crypto Taxes on NFTs
When it comes to selling NFTs, it’s important to note that taxes are inevitable for US taxpayers, and there is no way to sidestep them legally. The IRS classifies NFTs as property, and depending on the nature of the NFT, it may fall under the category of collectibles, which could mean facing higher tax rates.
In line with the different categories, proceeds, and deficits arising from the sale of NFTs are required to be disclosed on tax documents, with tax rates contingent upon how long the NFT was held and the individual’s total income. The IRS announced a novel strategy for taxing NFTs as collectibles in March 2023, resulting in specific NFT profits being subject to a flat 28% tax rate, diverging from the usual capital gains rates.
