Crypto Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 US federal tax on a Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any cryptocurrency sale — including the NIIT surtax.
What this calculator does
Estimates the US federal tax owed on a cryptocurrency sale — Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other coin — using the same IRS capital gains rules that apply to stocks, since the IRS treats crypto as property rather than a security.
Who this is for
Anyone who sold, traded, or spent cryptocurrency this year and wants to estimate the tax bill before filing, or is deciding whether to hold past the one-year mark to qualify for lower long-term rates.
How this calculator works
Your gain or loss is proceeds minus cost basis. Short-term gains (held one year or less) are taxed as ordinary income. Long-term gains (held more than one year) get preferential 0%, 15%, or 20% rates, stacking on top of your ordinary taxable income — the same mechanics as stock capital gains, since the IRS doesn't distinguish crypto for rate purposes.
Worked example
Single filer, $80,000 ordinary taxable income, sold crypto for $25,000 that originally cost $10,000, held more than a year: gain = $25,000 − $10,000 = $15,000. This stacks from $80,000 to $95,000, entirely within the 15% long-term band ($49,450–$545,500 for single filers): $15,000 × 15% = $2,250 federal tax, leaving $22,750 in net proceeds.
If the same coin had been held less than a year instead, the $15,000 gain would be taxed at the filer's ordinary marginal rate (22% in this income range) rather than 15% — a difference of roughly $1,050 in tax, purely from timing the sale past the one-year mark.
What Makes Crypto Tax Different From Stock Tax
The rates and brackets are identical to stocks, but a few things are distinctly crypto:
- No wash sale rule (for now). The wash sale rule under IRC §1091 only applies to stocks and securities. Since crypto is property, you can sell at a loss and immediately buy back the same coin while still claiming the loss — something not allowed with stocks. Congress has repeatedly proposed closing this loophole, so it may not last.
- Every trade is a taxable event, not just cash-outs. Swapping Bitcoin for Ethereum, or using crypto to buy something, counts as a disposal and triggers a gain or loss calculation, even if you never touched US dollars.
- Cost basis method matters more. If you bought the same coin at different prices over time, FIFO (first-in-first-out) is the IRS default, but HIFO (highest-in-first-out) or Specific Identification can legally reduce your taxable gain if you keep detailed records supporting the method.
- Staking and mining income is taxed twice, in two different ways. Rewards are taxed as ordinary income at fair market value when received, then any further gain or loss when you eventually sell is taxed separately under capital gains rules.
Where your gain goes
Run the calculator above to see the tax vs. net proceeds split.
Common mistakes
- Assuming crypto-to-crypto trades aren't taxable. Trading Bitcoin for Ethereum is a disposal of the Bitcoin, triggering a taxable gain or loss, even though no cash changed hands.
- Forgetting that staking rewards are ordinary income, not capital gains, when received. The capital gains clock only starts once you already own the coin (at the reward's fair market value as your new cost basis).
- Not tracking cost basis per lot. If you bought the same coin at multiple different prices, you need to know which specific coins you sold to calculate gain accurately — "I don't remember what I paid" isn't a defensible position with the IRS.
- Assuming losses are wasted if you don't have gains to offset. Up to $3,000/year of net capital loss offsets ordinary income directly, and any leftover carries forward indefinitely to future years.
- Not knowing the wash sale exemption could disappear. The lack of a crypto wash sale rule is current law, not guaranteed — Congress has proposed closing it multiple times.
Related calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the IRS tax crypto the same way as stocks?
Yes — the IRS classifies cryptocurrency as property, so the same short-term/long-term capital gains rules and rates apply as with stocks. There is no separate, lighter crypto tax regime.
Is there a wash sale rule for crypto?
No, not as of 2026. The wash sale rule (IRC Section 1091) only applies to stocks and securities. Since crypto is classified as property, you can sell at a loss and immediately repurchase the same coin while still claiming the loss — something not allowed with stocks. Congress has repeatedly proposed closing this loophole, so it may not last.
What cost basis method should I use for crypto?
FIFO (first-in-first-out) is the IRS default if you don't specify otherwise. HIFO (highest-in-first-out) or Specific Identification can lower your taxable gain by selling your highest-cost-basis coins first, but require detailed transaction records to support the method.
Can I deduct crypto losses?
Yes — crypto losses offset capital gains dollar-for-dollar, and up to $3,000 of any remaining loss can offset ordinary income per year ($1,500 if married filing separately). Unused losses carry forward indefinitely to future years.
Is staking or mining income taxed differently?
Yes — staking rewards and mined coins are taxed as ordinary income at their fair market value when received. If you later sell those coins, any additional gain or loss from that point is taxed separately under capital gains rules.
Do I owe tax on crypto I haven't sold yet?
No — simply holding crypto that has gone up in value isn't a taxable event. Tax is triggered when you sell, trade one crypto for another, or spend it, since each of these counts as a disposal under IRS rules.