A crypto capital gains tax calculator estimates federal tax from proceeds minus basis and holding period. Use the free tool above for a rough check before year-end—not a substitute for Form 8949.
Free crypto capital gains tax calculator: cost basis, holding period, and US federal estimate on crypto sales.
Practical tip Start with round numbers from your bank or contract. You can refine decimals after the first pass.
What to enter
Have these handy before you start. Names vary by tool, but the ideas are the same.
Buy and sell dates with amounts
Cost basis per lot if you track lots
Estimated tax rate on gains
Staking or other income (if applicable)
Quick workflow
Enter trades with dates and proceeds.
Apply your estimated tax rate.
Export or save numbers for your preparer.
Free calculator This article is the guide. For proceeds, basis, and holding period, open the crypto capital gains tax calculator — runs in your browser, no signup.
How US crypto gains are estimated
Each disposal—sale for USD, swap to another coin, or spending crypto—can trigger a taxable gain or loss. Holding period matters: assets sold within one year are generally short-term (ordinary rates); over one year may qualify for long-term capital gains rates.
Track cost basis per lot (FIFO, specific identification, or HIFO per your policy). Exchange 1099-DA reports may not match your true basis after transfers, staking rewards, or DeFi swaps. Use this calculator for simple scenarios; export records for your CPA on complex years.
Worked example (illustrative)
You bought 1 BTC for $30,000 in 2022 and sell 0.5 BTC for $35,000 in 2024 (held over one year). Proceeds are $17,500; basis on half the lot is $15,000; gain is $2,500—potentially long-term if holding period rules are met. If you swapped that half into ETH instead of cash, US rules often still treat it as a taxable sale at fair market value on swap day. Short-term gains on coins held under 12 months stack at ordinary rates in many cases. Enter proceeds, basis, and dates in the crypto capital gains tax calculator—not tax advice.
Common search questions
Capital gains tax crypto calculator — rough federal estimate by holding period.
Crypto tax calculation — trades, swaps, and basis in one educational model.
DCA stock calculator — pair with our DCA tool if you are stacking buys over time.
Do I owe tax on crypto I swapped? — often yes; treat swaps as sell + buy for US federal purposes.
Open the tool when you already have a quote, a deadline, or a what-if and need a clear number for crypto.
Situations people use it for
Estimating tax on trades before year-end
Comparing hold vs sell scenarios with rough gains
How to read the result
Treat the output as a structured estimate. Small input changes should move the result in a direction that makes sense.
Run a conservative case first. If it still works, you have margin.
Change one field at a time so you know what actually moved the number.
Save the scenario with a name you will recognize later ("2027 refi", "15-year plan").
This model assumes: Free crypto capital gains tax calculator: cost basis, holding period, and US federal estimate on crypto sales.
Common slip-ups
Omitting wash sales or lot matching rules your country actually uses
Forgetting staking income or airdrops in taxable income
Try it with your numbers
Open the Crypto Capital Gains Tax Calculator (Free) calculator, enter your case, and keep a screenshot or PDF if you will revisit the decision. Everything runs in your browser; your inputs are not sent to our servers for the math.