🌎 Americas
Crypto & taxes in United States
- Short-term capital gains
- Ordinary rates 10–37% (held ≤1 year)
- Long-term capital gains
- 0% / 15% / 20% (held >1 year)
- Net Investment Income Tax
- +3.8% if MAGI >$200k (single) / $250k (joint)
- Reporting
- Form 1099-DA mandatory from 2026
Crypto regulation
Crypto-assets are regulated by several agencies: the SEC over tokens deemed securities, the CFTC over digital commodities, and FinCEN for anti-money-laundering. The 2025 GENIUS Act set rules for payment stablecoins, while 2025–2026 saw the CLARITY market-structure bill advance and growing SEC–CFTC harmonization, under a notably more favorable stance from the current administration.
Taxation
The IRS treats crypto as property: every disposal is a taxable event. Gains on assets held one year or less are taxed at ordinary income rates (10–37%), while assets held more than one year qualify for the preferential 0%, 15% or 20% long-term rates based on taxable income.
Useful information
From 2026 exchanges must issue Form 1099-DA, including cost basis for crypto bought on-platform. Keep full transaction records and consider holding beyond 12 months to access the lower long-term rates.