Cryptocurrency gains are taxable, and the tax treatment depends on whether you’re an investor or a trader, according to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). So if you hold cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Ethereum as capital assets, or if you use them to pay for goods and services, any profit or loss from the sale is subject to federal income tax. The IRS has made some special rules for Bitcoin, though; see below.
Do you need to pay capital gains tax on your cryptocurrency investments?
Technically, all cryptocurrency gains are taxable, even if you’re planning to hold on to your investments for a long time. The IRS defines capital gains as gains from selling or exchanging capital assets. However, there are several exemptions for crypto investors that can make all of your hard work (and portfolio growth) go much further. The following three situations will help illustrate when a crypto investment is eligible for an exemption and doesn't require paying taxes.
What is capital gains tax?
Capital gains tax (CGT) is a tax on income from investments that are held for more than one year. The rate at which it's paid depends on your marginal tax rate, but in general, it's only paid on capital growth rather than income. It might seem unfair to pay tax when you're selling an investment for less than you bought it, but by only taxing realised gains (rather than unrealised ones), CGT encourages longer-term investment strategies. And if you don't have a higher income, then CGT is charged at 10%, rather than at 20% or 40%. But whether cryptocurrency gains are taxable uk depends on whether they're considered 'capital' or 'income'.
Can you claim back any of your tax payments on your returns?
The majority of those invested in cryptocurrencies still don’t know how to answer that question. That’s because many people aren’t clear on whether or not their gains from these types of investments are taxable. This confusion is likely due to a number of factors, but it often boils down to people not being sure if they need to report their cryptocurrency profits for tax purposes. As with other financial assets, there are some cases where your cryptocurrency profits may be taxable and others where they may not be. Let’s break down how you can find out if you have any tax obligations related to your cryptocurrency gains and what information you need for reporting purposes.
What does this mean in practice?
Most people holding Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies have no idea if they're going to have to pay taxes on their investments. Even though they're digital currencies, are cryptocurrency gains taxable uk? The simple answer is yes, but there's a lot more you need to know. With cryptocurrency becoming an ever-larger part of many portfolios and new options for investors opening up, it's worth taking a close look at how taxation works with them. Taxes can be complex and varied from country to country, and how your investment fares when tax time comes around can make all the difference in whether you come out ahead or not—or even break even.