A crypto capital gains tax calculator estimates US federal tax on sold crypto using proceeds minus cost basis and short- versus long-term holding period.
Das Tauschen, Verkaufen oder Bezahlen mit Kryptowährungen wie BTC, ETH oder USD-Tether führt zu steuerpflichtigen Vorgängen. Entscheidend ist die deutsche Haltedauerstruktur: Gewinne aus privaten Veräußerungsgeschäften unterliegen nach einer Haltedauer von über einem Jahr der vollständigen Steuerfreiheit (Spekulationsfrist). Unter einem Jahr greift der persönliche Steuersatz.
Krypto: kurz- vs langfristig
Krypto-Verkäufe in den USA erzeugen Kapitalgewinn/-verlust: Erlös minus angepasste Anschaffungskosten. Unter einem Jahr oft ordentlicher Satz; darüber kann Langfrist gelten.
FIFO, LIFO oder spezifische Lots ändern die Basis bei mehreren Käufen—dieses Tool ist vereinfacht; Börsen mit 1099-DA helfen, ersetzen aber keine vollständige Buchführung.
Landessteuer, NIIT und Wash-Sales sind nicht voll modelliert—große Verkäufe mit Steuerberater klären.
Leitfaden, Beispiele und Methodik
How to use this crypto capital gains tax calculator
Enter proceeds, cost basis, and holding period. Short-term gains use ordinary income brackets you select; long-term gains use preferential capital gains rates. This covers simple buy/sell—swaps, staking, airdrops, and state tax need professional review and exchange Form 1099-DA reports.
Example (USD)
Scenario
Proceeds
Basis
Gain
Long-term BTC sell
$18,000
$11,500
$6,500
Short-term ETH sell
$4,200
$3,800
$400
Record-keeping checklist
Reconcile cost basis per lot before year-end—not just exchange summaries.
Tag transfers between wallets; they are not taxable but affect lot tracking.
Wash-sale rules for crypto may apply depending on current law—confirm with a CPA.
Related tools
For equity compensation tax (RSU, ISO/AMT), use our RSU and stock option calculators in the US tax planning guide—crypto gains stack with W-2 income on your return.
Short-term vs long-term crypto gains
Assets held one year or less generally produce short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary federal income rates—the same brackets as W-2 wages. Holdings beyond one year typically qualify for long-term rates (0%, 15%, or 20% at the federal level depending on taxable income). Stablecoin swaps, NFT flips, and DeFi token trades can still be taxable events even without cashing out to USD; this calculator handles straightforward disposal math, not every on-chain transaction type.
Form 1099-DA and exchange reporting
US exchanges increasingly report proceeds on Form 1099-DA. Reported proceeds may not match your true cost basis if you transferred coins between wallets or used multiple platforms. Reconcile exchange CSVs against your own lot tracking before filing—IRS matching programs compare proceeds lines to your return. Missing basis is a common audit trigger; zero basis on a large sale can overstate tax dramatically.
Staking, airdrops, and mining (overview)
Staking rewards, airdrops, and mining income are often ordinary income when received, with basis equal to fair market value at receipt. Selling later triggers a second gain or loss from that basis. Hard forks and protocol migrations create fact patterns the IRS has addressed in limited guidance—treat this calculator as a capital-gains-on-disposal tool and consult a crypto-savvy CPA for income-at-receipt events.
State tax and loss harvesting
California and New York tax crypto gains as capital income; a few states have no capital gains tax at all. Federal capital losses offset gains and up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year with carryforward. Tax-loss harvesting in crypto may be subject to wash-sale rules under current legislation—confirm before year-end sells solely for tax optics.
Das absichtliche Realisieren von Verlusten durch den Verkauf gefallener Coins vor Silvester. Diese Verluste können eins zu eins mit steuerpflichtigen Gewinnen des Kalenderjahres verrechnet werden.