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2025-04-12

Yield farming or DeFi interest

Earnings from yield farming or lending crypto in DeFi platforms are taxed as income at the time they are received. However, depositing into and withdrawing from a liquidity pool may be treated as a disposal, which is a capital gains event.

  • Example: Earning £500 in interest from a DeFi platform is subject to Income Tax.

Payments for goods or services

Receiving cryptocurrency as payment for goods or services is treated as income at its market value when received. There are instances where the “value” of the work will be taxed instead of the value of the crypto received. Professional advice should be taken if you are unsure.

  • Example: If you're paid 0.2 BTC for freelance work worth £6,000, this amount is subject to Income Tax.

Receiving airdrops

If you actively participate to receive an airdrop (e.g., completing tasks), the tokens are treated as income at their market value upon receipt.

  • Example: Earning £100 in tokens from an airdrop after completing tasks is subject to Income Tax.

Mining rewards

Mining rewards are taxed as income. Those undertaking mining activities to an extent to which they are operating a business will be subject to additional tax obligations.

  • Example: Earning 0.5 BTC through mining worth £10,000 at the time of receipt is subject to Income Tax.

Staking rewards

Cryptocurrency earned through staking is considered income at the market value at the time of receipt.

  • Example: If you earn 0.1 ETH through staking worth £200, this amount is subject to Income Tax.

Providing liquidity

Adding liquidity: If adding assets to a liquidity pool results in a change of ownership or creates a new token (e.g., LP tokens), it may be considered a taxable disposal, with CGT applying to any gains. The answer to this can usually be found within the terms and conditions of the protocol.

Removing liquidity: Removing assets from a liquidity pool may also be a disposal, potentially triggering CGT based on the gain or loss relative to the cost basis.

Liquidity pool rewards are generally treated as taxable income upon receipt, subject to Income Tax.

Selling airdropped tokens

Selling tokens received through an airdrop is a taxable disposal.

Tokens received without any action (eg, unsolicited distributions) are not taxed as income upon receipt. Instead, they are subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when sold, with the cost basis typically being zero or the fair market value at the time of receipt if explicitly stated by HMRC.

Tokens earned through performing tasks (eg, completing activities) are taxed as income at the market value in GBP upon receipt. When sold, the gain or loss is subject to CGT, calculated using the market value at receipt as the cost basis.

  • Example: You perform a series of tasks to qualify for an airdrop. You then sell that airdropped token for £500 and it has a cost basis of £200. The £200 cost basis would have been subject to income tax in the tax year in which it was received and the £300 gain is subject to CGT in the tax year in which the token is sold.

Selling NFTs

Disposing of NFTs is treated similarly to crypto disposals, with gains subject to CGT.

  • Example: If you bought an NFT for £1,000 and sold it for £3,000, the £2,000 profit is taxable.

Gifting cryptocurrency (excluding spouse or civil partner)

Gifting crypto to someone triggers CGT based on the market value at the time of the gift. Gifting to registered charities or your spouse or civil partner does not trigger a taxable event. Here, we have often seen individuals gifting tokens to others but keeping them in their own wallet. If this is the case, it is very important to document the gift. Consider speaking to a tax advisor if you are uncertain of your position.

  • Example: Giving 1 ETH to a friend worth £2,000 incurs CGT on any gains above its cost basis.

Using crypto to purchase goods or services

Spending cryptocurrency on goods or services is considered a disposal.

  • Example: Paying 0.5 BTC for a laptop is a taxable event. If the BTC had a cost basis of £5,000 but was worth £10,000 at the time of the transaction, the £5,000 gain is subject to CGT.

Crypto-to-crypto trades (swaps)

Exchanging one cryptocurrency for another (e.g., BTC for ETH) is treated as a disposal for tax purposes.

  • Example: Swapping BTC worth £5,000 for ETH creates a taxable event, with any profit based on the cost basis of your Bitcoin. The value of the BTC when swapping will be the proceeds and will also become the cost of the ETH that has been obtained.

Selling crypto for GBP

Any profit made when you sell crypto for fiat currency (e.g., GBP) is a taxable event.

  • Example: If you bought BTC for £10,000 and sold it for £15,000, you have a taxable gain of £5,000.

How Investing vs Trading impacts tax

In most cases of buying and selling cryptocurrency as a retail investor, you are participating in investing rather than trading. The two are treated differently for tax purposes.

  • Investing is subject to capital gains tax or income tax, depending on the nature of the transaction.
  • Trading in this case refers to self-employment which is subject to income tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The key difference between investing and trading – along with the different tax treatments, is how losses generated in the crypto-activity can be used.

In their guidance, HMRC have explicitly stated that they would expect it to be exceedingly rare that any crypto-activity constituting buying & selling crypto would be classified as “trading”.

If you are uncertain, speak to a tax advisor as there are always exceptions, including but not limited to, developing tokens and large scale mining.

How is crypto tax calculated in the United States?

You can be liable for both capital gains and income tax depending on the type of cryptocurrency transaction, and your individual circumstances. For example, you might need to pay capital gains on profits from buying and selling cryptocurrency, or pay income tax on interest earned when holding crypto.

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Guides
12
 
Apr
 
2025
 - 
10
min read

Can The IRS Track Bitcoin? Yes, here’s how

Learn how Bitcoin is taxed in the U.S., the difference between short and long-term capital gains, and how timing your sale can cut your crypto tax bill.

Key takeaways
  • The IRS can track your Bitcoin activity through exchange reporting, summons, and blockchain analysis.
  • Failing to report crypto can lead to audits, penalties, or even criminal charges.
  • Accurately reporting your crypto using proper tools is the safest and most compliant approach.
This tax guide is regularly updated: Last Update  
CryptoTax Calculator thumbnail

Given crypto’s decentralized nature, many investors may find themselves wondering whether they really need to report it on their taxes. After all, how will the IRS know if I don’t report?

The reality is, the IRS has multiple tools and initiatives to track crypto activity, especially for a big player like Bitcoin. Here’s how the IRS knows (or can find out) about your Bitcoin holdings and transactions:

How the IRS Knows You Own Bitcoin

Exchange reporting (1099s)

Crypto exchanges are required to report user transactions to the IRS. Starting with the 2025 tax year, new laws will mandate exchanges issue expanded 1099 forms to both you and the IRS summarizing your crypto trades (including cost basis).

Even before this, many exchanges have issued 1099-Ks or 1099-Bs for high-volume traders. The IRS can match these forms to your return. If a 1099 shows you had $50,000 of crypto proceeds and your return shows nothing, that’s a red flag.

John Doe Summons and data requests

The IRS has compelled companies like Coinbase, Kraken, and others to turn over lists of customers and their transaction data above certain thresholds.

For example, Coinbase was ordered to disclose users with over $20,000 in crypto transactions in a year (for 2013-2015), and the IRS sent out warning letters in 2019 to thousands of people who may not have reported. More recently, similar summons have hit other exchanges.

Essentially, if you used a major exchange and had substantial activity, the IRS either has your info or can get it.

Blockchain analysis

Bitcoin’s blockchain is public. Specialized firms like Chainalysis and Elliptic analyze blockchain data to identify addresses and cluster transactions. The IRS (and other agencies) use these services.

If your identity ever becomes linked to a Bitcoin address (say you withdrew from Coinbase to your personal wallet, Coinbase knows that address belongs to you), then any transactions from that address can be traced to you.

Even without an exchange, sophisticated analysis might connect addresses to individuals (through IP logs, spending patterns, etc.). The IRS has a whole Cyber Crimes unit that uses these techniques to find tax evasion and other crimes involving crypto.

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Enhanced enforcement

The IRS has put crypto on the priority list. They launched initiatives like Operation Hidden Treasure (aimed at unreported crypto income) and have trained agents in crypto tracing.

With additional funding in recent legislation, the IRS is expanding enforcement in areas like crypto. They’ve already sent multiple rounds of compliance letters and even pursued criminal cases against willful evaders.

All of this makes it clear your your Bitcoin activities aren’t invisible.

The IRS can find unreported crypto, either through matching forms, investigating exchanges, or analyzing the blockchain itself. The penalties for not reporting can be severe – back taxes, interest, accuracy penalties (typically 20%), or even fraud penalties (75%) and criminal charges in extreme cases.

Additionally, since 2020, your Form 1040 asks if you engaged in any digital asset transactions. This question is broadly worded. Answering “No” when you actually did have taxable crypto events could be considered perjury. It’s most used to remind taxpayers and catch out blatant denials. The safe move is to always answer truthfully (which for most crypto users is “Yes.”). Lying here could compound your problems if you’re audited.

But if you report properly and pay what you owe, you don’t need to worry. The IRS’s goal is to get voluntary compliance. Use tools (like Crypto Tax Calculator) and professionals to get your crypto tax reporting right.

If you realize you missed something in past years, it’s often best to amend your return or come forward before the IRS contacts you. The IRS tends to be more lenient if you correct mistakes proactively rather than them catching you.

(For a detailed look at how the IRS tracks crypto, see our article “How the IRS knows your crypto” which covers these enforcement methods and what they mean for taxpayers.)

The information provided on this website is general in nature and is not tax, accounting or legal advice. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs and seek professional advice. Crypto Tax Calculator disclaims all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and is not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or Consequential Loss or damage) arising out of, or in connection with, any use or reliance on the information or advice in this website. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material on this site, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied. The information in this website is no substitute for specialist advice.

FAQ

Does the IRS know I own Bitcoin?

It is increasingly likely if you've used a major exchange that the IRS knows you own Bitcoin.

The IRS receives data from crypto exchanges via 1099 forms, enforces John Doe summons to access user records, and works with blockchain analytics firms to trace wallet addresses and transactions.

If your identity is ever linked to a Bitcoin address (such as through a withdrawal from an exchange), all related activity can potentially be tracked. Even if you haven’t received a tax notice yet, that doesn’t mean you're invisible.

The IRS has made crypto enforcement a priority and is expanding its capabilities.

Do Bitcoin transactions get reported to the IRS?

Yes, Bitcoin transactions can be reported to the IRS, especially when they occur through centralized crypto exchanges based in or serving users in the U.S.

These platforms may issue IRS forms such as 1099-B, 1099-K, or 1099-DA (starting from the 2025 tax year), which summarize your transactions, including gains, losses, and cost basis.

These reports are sent to both the IRS and the taxpayer.

Even without a form, you're still legally required to report all taxable events involving Bitcoin, such as sales, conversions, payments for goods or services, or earning Bitcoin as income.

Can the FBI track Bitcoin transactions?

Yes, the FBI can and does track Bitcoin transactions, often working alongside blockchain analytics firms and other federal agencies like the IRS or DEA.

Despite Bitcoin’s reputation for privacy, its blockchain is public and records every transaction permanently. The FBI uses sophisticated tools and methods to trace funds across wallets, especially when Bitcoin is used in criminal investigations, such as ransomware, darknet activity, or fraud.

If a wallet address is linked to an identity, all related transactions can be traced. The FBI has successfully recovered millions in stolen or illicit Bitcoin through these investigative techniques.

What happens if you don't report Bitcoin to the IRS?

Failing to report Bitcoin transactions to the IRS can lead to serious consequences.

If you're audited and the IRS finds unreported crypto income or capital gains, you could face back taxes, interest, and accuracy-related penalties (typically 20%). In cases of willful tax evasion, the penalties are steeper—up to 75% for fraud, and even criminal charges carrying potential jail time.

Additionally, since 2020, Form 1040 includes a mandatory question about digital asset activity. Falsely answering “No” when you’ve had crypto transactions could be considered perjury. The safest route is full, honest reporting—even if you made a mistake in the past.

How traceable is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is far more traceable than many people think. Every transaction is recorded on the public blockchain, which means anyone can view its history—including addresses, amounts, and timestamps.

While Bitcoin addresses don’t contain personal info, once a wallet is linked to an identity (via an exchange, IP address, or metadata), all its activity becomes traceable. Law enforcement agencies use blockchain forensics firms like Chainalysis to cluster wallet addresses and map out transaction flows.

This has made Bitcoin useful for catching fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion—contrary to its early reputation for anonymity. In short, Bitcoin is pseudonymous, not anonymous.

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