Crypto Tax Calculator
Calculate capital gains tax on cryptocurrency trades. Determine short-term vs long-term rates and estimate tax owed on your crypto profits.
About this calculator
This calculator estimates capital gains tax on a single cryptocurrency trade by comparing Sale Price per Token against Purchase Price per Token, multiplying the difference by Quantity to get Capital Gain/Loss, and applying an estimated tax rate based on Holding Period and Income Tax Bracket. A holding period over 365 days qualifies for preferential long-term capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20% federal) instead of your ordinary short-term rate, which is taxed at your full marginal Income Tax Bracket. This tool approximates which long-term tier applies using the commonly cited correspondence between ordinary tax brackets and long-term rates -- filers in the 10%/12% brackets generally land in the 0% tier, filers in the 22%-35% brackets generally land in the 15% tier, and only the top 37% bracket generally lands in the 20% tier -- rather than the exact taxable-income dollar thresholds the IRS actually uses, which shift annually with inflation and depend on filing status.
Under IRS Notice 2014-21 (reaffirmed in the IRS's current digital assets guidance), cryptocurrency is treated as property for federal tax purposes, not a security or currency, which is why the wash sale rule that disallows claiming a loss on stock repurchased within 30 days has generally not applied to crypto -- but this is an area where legislation has been proposed periodically, so verify the current rule before relying on it. This calculator evaluates one trade in isolation; it does not track cost basis across multiple lots, apply a specific accounting method (FIFO, LIFO, or specific identification), account for transaction fees, or handle non-sale taxable events like staking rewards, airdrops, or crypto-to-crypto swaps.
Financial Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs provided. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment or financial planning decisions.
Inputs
Results
Capital Gain/Loss
$2,000.00
≈ 15 pairs of sneakers
Estimated Tax
$300.00
≈ 5 tanks of gas
Figures current as of 2026. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Notice 2014-21 and Digital Assets guidance
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Purchase Price per Token and Sale Price per Token for the trade you're evaluating.
- Set Quantity — the number of tokens sold — and Holding Period in days between purchase and sale.
- Enter your Income Tax Bracket (federal marginal rate) so the calculator can estimate the applicable rate.
- Review Capital Gain/Loss, the applicable Tax Rate (short-term ordinary rate, or a long-term preferential tier if held over 365 days), and Estimated Tax.
- Track your actual cost basis lot-by-lot using FIFO, LIFO, or specific identification consistently, per current IRS digital asset guidance — this calculator estimates one trade at a time and does not track lots for you.
How the result changes with Sale Price per Token
| Sale Price per Token | Capital Gain/Loss | Estimated Tax |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500.00 | $500.00 | $75.00 |
| $2,250.00 | $1,250.00 | $187.50 |
| $4,500.00 | $3,500.00 | $525.00 |
| $7,500.00 | $6,500.00 | $975.00 |
What each input means
- Purchase Price per Token
- Price per token when you bought.
- Sale Price per Token
- Price per token when you sold (or plan to sell).
- Quantity
- Number of tokens sold.
- Holding Period
- Days between purchase and sale. Over 365 days qualifies for long-term rates.
- Income Tax Bracket
- Your federal marginal income tax bracket (used for short-term gains and to estimate your long-term rate tier).
What each result means
- Total Proceeds
- Total sale amount received.
- Cost Basis
- Total amount originally paid.
- Capital Gain/Loss
- Profit or loss from the trade.
- Tax Rate
- Applicable tax rate (long-term or short-term).
- Estimated Tax
- Estimated tax owed on gains.
- Net Profit (After Tax)
- Profit remaining after taxes.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters5 parametersPurchase Price per Token = 1000, Sale Price per Token = 3000, Quantity = 1, Holding Period = 400, Income Tax Bracket = 24 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Capital Gain/LossCapital Gain/Loss2000 = $2,000
- Calculate Estimated TaxEstimated Tax300 = $300
- Calculate Total ProceedsTotal Proceeds3000 = $3,000
- Calculate Cost BasisCost Basis1000 = $1,000
Figures and sources
- Virtual currency treated as property for federal tax purposes (2026) — Internal Revenue Service, Notice 2014-21 and Digital Assets guidance
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Tax Rate drop if I hold past 365 days?
Holding Period over 365 days qualifies the trade for preferential long-term capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20% federal), which are generally lower than the ordinary income rate applied to short-term gains. This calculator estimates which long-term tier applies based on your Income Tax Bracket using the commonly cited correspondence between ordinary brackets and long-term rate tiers.
Does Quantity affect my Tax Rate?
No. Tax Rate is determined entirely by Holding Period (short-term vs. long-term) and Income Tax Bracket. Quantity only affects how much Capital Gain/Loss and Estimated Tax scale to, by determining how many tokens the per-token price difference is multiplied across.
Is the long-term rate tier this calculator shows exact for my tax year?
No. The real IRS long-term capital gains brackets are set by specific taxable-income dollar thresholds that change annually with inflation and depend on your filing status -- this calculator instead uses the commonly cited approximation that maps your ordinary tax bracket to a long-term tier. Verify your actual bracket against current-year IRS tables or a tax professional before filing.
Does the wash sale rule apply to my crypto trades?
Under IRS Notice 2014-21, cryptocurrency is treated as property rather than a security, and the wash sale rule (which disallows claiming a loss on a security repurchased within 30 days) has generally not applied to crypto for that reason. This is an area Congress has periodically proposed changing, so confirm the current rule with a tax professional rather than relying on this as permanent.
Does this calculator handle staking rewards, airdrops, or crypto-to-crypto trades?
No. It only estimates the capital gains tax on a single buy-then-sell trade using a purchase price, sale price, and quantity. Staking rewards and airdrops are generally taxed as ordinary income when received, and swapping one crypto asset for another is itself a taxable disposal event under current IRS digital asset guidance -- neither scenario is modeled here.
Related Calculators
The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.
Staking Rewards Calculator
Calculate staking rewards for proof-of-stake tokens. See projected earnings with or without compounding over your staking period.
DeFi & CryptocurrencyNFT Royalty Calculator
Calculate NFT creator royalty earnings based on floor price, trading volume, and royalty percentage. Project daily, monthly, and annual income.
Tax & AccountingCapital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate your capital gains tax on investments, real estate, or other assets. Covers both short-term and long-term rates based on your income and filing status.
DeFi & CryptocurrencyMining Profitability Calculator
Calculate crypto mining profitability based on hashrate, power consumption, electricity costs, and network difficulty.
More in Investing & Retirement.