Finance
Crypto Tax Calculator (US, 2026)
Estimate federal capital gains tax on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other crypto sales. Short-term + long-term rates auto-applied.
W-2 + freelance + staking income
Your crypto sales (lots)
Gain: $10,000 · Long-term (730 days)
Gain: $1,500 · Short-term (0 days)
Estimated tax
$1,830
on $11,500 total gain (15.9% effective)
Breakdown
Short-term gain
Taxed as ordinary income
$1,500
Short-term tax
$330
Long-term gain
0% / 15% / 20%
$10,000
Long-term tax
$1,500
Total federal tax
$1,830
Crypto tax in 60 seconds
Every crypto sale (or swap) is a taxable event. Your gain = proceeds − cost basis. Held ≤ 1 year: short-term, taxed as ordinary income. Held > 1 year: long-term, taxed at preferential rates (0%, 15%, or 20%) that depend on your total taxable income.
Disclaimer: This is a federal estimate, not tax advice. State taxes vary (some states like California tax crypto gains at full state rate). For real filings, use software like Koinly or consult a CPA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are crypto sales taxed in the US?▾
The IRS treats crypto as property. Each sale is a taxable event. If you held the crypto less than a year, gains are taxed as ordinary income (10-37%). Held longer than a year, gains qualify for long-term capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20%).
What are the 2026 long-term capital gains rates?▾
Single: 0% up to $47,025 income, 15% up to $518,900, 20% above. Married filing jointly: 0% up to $94,050, 15% up to $583,750, 20% above. Head of household sits between.
Do I owe tax if I just held my crypto?▾
No. Holding (HODL) is not a taxable event. You only owe tax when you sell, swap one crypto for another, spend it, or earn it (mining, staking, airdrops). Transfers between your own wallets are not taxable.
What about staking rewards and airdrops?▾
Treated as ordinary income at fair market value when received. Use the calculator above for capital gains on sales — but add staking/airdrop income to your "ordinary income" field so we apply the correct LTCG bracket stacking.
How do I calculate cost basis?▾
Default IRS method is FIFO (first in, first out). Some accountants use specific identification or HIFO (highest in, first out) to minimize tax — both legal if documented properly. Tools like Koinly, CoinLedger, or TokenTax track this automatically.