Crypto Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate capital gains tax on cryptocurrency sales.
Enter buy price, sell price, holding period, and income bracket for a tax estimate.
Cryptocurrency is taxed as property by the IRS (Rev. Ruling 2014-21). Every sale, trade, or use of crypto to buy goods triggers a taxable event where you must calculate your capital gain or loss.
Core formulas:
Capital Gain / Loss = Sale Price − Cost Basis
Cost Basis = Purchase Price + Fees Paid to Acquire
Tax Owed = Capital Gain × Applicable Tax Rate
Holding period determines the rate:
- Short-term (held < 1 year): taxed at your ordinary income marginal rate (10–37%)
- Long-term (held ≥ 1 year): taxed at preferential capital gains rate (0%, 15%, or 20%)
2025 Long-term capital gains rates (single filers):
| Taxable Income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $47,025 | 0% |
| $47,026 – $518,900 | 15% |
| $518,901+ | 20% |
Worked example: Bought 2 BTC for $15,000 total in January 2023. Sold 2 BTC for $90,000 in March 2025 (held > 1 year).
- Capital gain: $90,000 − $15,000 = $75,000
- Tax (15% long-term rate): $75,000 × 0.15 = $11,250 owed
Versus short-term (held 8 months, 22% bracket):
- Tax: $75,000 × 0.22 = $16,500 — $5,250 more!
Additional taxable crypto events:
- Trading one crypto for another (BTC → ETH) is a taxable sale at current value
- Receiving crypto as income or payment: taxed as ordinary income at market value
- Mining rewards: ordinary income at fair market value when received
- Staking rewards: currently treated as ordinary income (subject to ongoing IRS guidance)
Loss harvesting: Capital losses offset gains. If you sold crypto at a loss, deduct it against gains. Up to $3,000 in net losses can offset ordinary income per year; excess losses carry forward.