Cryptocurrency taxation is an ongoing discussion in the legislative quarters. How they consider the digital currency market will most likely determine what tax obligations investors will face. So far, crypto-friendly countries such as the United States and Australia consider cryptocurrency an asset or a property, not a currency. Such considerations might not have direct tax implications for investors’ portfolios in that region.

On the other hand, what you do with it can send the taxman to your doorstep. Gains you’ve earned from crypto are subject to taxation. However, there are other underlying stipulations and calculations based on the nature of your cryptocurrency transactions and holdings.

In this case, investors should also consult tax enforcement agencies in their region to get clarity on the issue or visit online resources such as https://swyftx.com to learn more about these taxes. This guide teaches you all you need to know about cryptocurrency taxation affecting how you invest in the digital currency market.

Crypto tax regulation

How Does Taxation Apply To Cryptocurrency?

Since tax agencies consider cryptocurrency an asset, how you handle the underlying digital currency determines the tax class you must pay. Gains invite tax obligations if you use them to pay for goods and services or cash in your cryptocurrency holdings.

The same applies when you buy and sell cryptocurrency for profit. Swaps for cryptocurrency gains and losses are taxable and may vary by the investor’s region.

Aside from digital currency tax classifications, the transaction period also triggers what tax rate you’ll pay for your cryptocurrency holdings. For instance, US short-term and long-term capital gains have different tax implications for investors.

Suppose you buy cryptocurrency worth USD$1,000 in January and sell it at USD$3,000 in April. That means the USD$2,000 is taxable on short-term capital gains. The transactions that are a year old or more have a separate consideration that can affect your cryptocurrency portfolio.

Crypto-friendly countries can also have different views and classifications of cryptocurrency. Do your research to know if they consider crypto assets or property and what obligations investors have.

When Can You Pay Cryptocurrency Tax?

What you do to the cryptocurrency will most likely determine the taxes you’ll pay. If you sell or transact your cryptocurrency holdings, you trigger capital gains tax charges to your account. In addition, income taxes will apply when you receive cryptocurrency as payment for goods and services. A dormant cryptocurrency account or holdings doesn’t attract taxes.

In this instance, cryptocurrency is an item for tax, and you can expect different payment rates when filing your tax returns. Before investing or integrating cryptocurrency into your business payment systems, you should consult the taxman.

Cryptocurrency Tax Report

Tax declaration is a necessary procedure when filing returns. You must collect the financial year’s relevant information and have it ready for the tax agencies to scrutinize. Perhaps the most crucial information is the amount of money you spend on cryptocurrency transactions and the market value at the investment time.

You can leverage blockchains that support cryptocurrency systems to retrieve these data. It’ll help you present a tax declaration report and ensure that you file the correct returns per government regulations. A certified accountant can help you decipher cryptocurrency taxes and avoid penalties for late filing or violating taxation laws.

Cryptocurrency Tax Events

The following events can lead to tax payment, and they might apply to investors in various regions:

Cryptocurrency In Payment Systems

Digital currencies have become a medium of exchange in business transactions. You create a taxable event when you purchase goods and services and pay via cryptocurrency. A sales tax event will occur, and the merchant must declare the source of income.

Another event of cryptocurrency taxes in the payment systems is through capital gains tax. It revolves around the market value of digital currency during transactions. Say you sell it higher than the acquisition price. The gains are deductible from your account, and you must present them when filing returns. It also applies to losses you incur from the trade.

Cryptocurrency Acquisition

Buying and holding cryptocurrency can generate taxable scenarios, namely gross income and capital gains. Gross income will affect the merchant who sold the digital currency to you.

You pay capital gains taxes for liquidating your cryptocurrency holdings if the price or value increased from the date of acquisition. For instance, if you bought Bitcoin in 2009 at USD$1,000 and sold it in 2021 at USD$68,000, the fair market price changes will attract capital gains.

Cashing Out

Converting cryptocurrency to money has tax implications on a cost basis. The cost basis is the total amount you spend as fees and funds for the exchange. You must deduct the cost basis from the fair market value to reach the taxable capital gains or losses.

Cryptocurrency Mining

Mining is a cryptocurrency income stream that entails fulfilling transactions in a blockchain. Miners earn cryptocurrency as compensation for their hard work. The tax implications in mining can apply through ordinary income—deducted from miners’ earnings—or business income tax. 

However, the tax application can be directed to the miner’s pay if they choose to. Alternatively, it’s deductible from the business as part of the cost of operating equipment, such as energy bills, software, and computer hardware. 

Swapping Cryptocurrencies

The cryptocurrency market has many opportunities to leverage and earn. You can decide to exchange one cryptocurrency for another for profit. The transaction is taxable through capital gains taxes whether you made a profit or loss. You must declare these exchanges when filing your tax returns.

Minimizing Cryptocurrency Taxes

Like other taxes, you can also minimize the taxes you incur on your crypto. Here are a few ways you can do this:

Long-term Investment

Holding cryptocurrency in your portfolio long-term attracts a lower tax rate. For instance, if you purchased Bitcoin at USD$1,000 in January and decide to sell it now, the capital gains will be lower. If you were to sell it sometime in the next months, the tax rate would be higher. 

Gains And Losses Trade-Off

You can take advantage of tax-loss harvesting for the losses you incur during the investment market swings in a financial year. It works when you declare your cryptocurrency gains when filing tax returns.

However, there’s a limit to how much you can claim through a tax-loss harvesting plan. The process needs a certified account to assist your case through the intricacy of the gains and losses trade-off.

Mining Rig Operating Costs

A cryptocurrency mining rig is capital-intensive and may have significant overheads. These usually include power, software, and internet, among other running costs. These expenses are deductible from the mining income as long as you declare them in your business.

Retirement Investment Plan

You can invest in cryptocurrency using your retirement investment plan to avoid taxes strategically. However, you must consult financial advisors due to the unpredictable nature of the cryptocurrency market.

Donate Your Cryptocurrency Holdings

Donations are one way to avoid taxes. It’s a strategy you can use in cryptocurrency by gifting people or organizations your gains from the market. The amount is deductible from the fair market value of the cryptocurrency donation.

How Much Cryptocurrency Tax To Pay?

The taxation rate on cryptocurrency can vary from one country to another. It also depends on the duration you hold and sells the underlying digital currencies. In the United States, cryptocurrency holdings that are a year old have tax obligations of a 20% maximum on gains and losses. Short-term investments of less than one year can trigger income taxes ranging between 10% to 37%.

Taxation on cryptocurrency is still a debate in the States, and investors in that region can only speculate on government pronouncements on digital currencies. In India, cryptocurrency trading has a 30% tax plus a surcharge of 4% on profit from the business. However, cryptocurrency is in the assets tax bracket, and the considerations refer to the existing tax laws.

In Australia, classifying cryptocurrency as an asset means that investors will pay capital gains tax for all their transactions. So, you can expect to face an income tax rate for your digital currency holdings. The calculation of this tax bracket depends on whether you’re a trader or an investor.

How To Pay Cryptocurrency Taxes?

The crypto-friendly countries have taxation systems for cryptocurrency that enables you to file your returns with ease. They follow the tax classifications, such as sales tax, capital gains tax, and income tax. Just follow the instructions on their websites and declare your cryptocurrency transactions.

However, suppose you use multiple exchanges in your cryptocurrency business. In that case, you collect all transactional information and present them while filing your tax returns.

Consult An Accountant 

Accountants should translate cryptocurrency taxation issues to ensure they supply all the required information. They can also help you to avoid tax obligations or reduce the amount you should pay by calculating your information. It’ll save you time and money and help you to be tax compliant.

Conclusion

Controlling the rules and regulations on cryptocurrency is challenging. The market is constantly evolving as new digital projects become available for investors. More industries are looking to integrate cryptocurrency into their operations and bypass strict government business regulations. 

However, some countries, such as the USA, Australia, India, and Canada, use the existing taxation laws to control cryptocurrency investment markets. Consulting tax agencies and working with a certified accountant will help you learn the tax obligations in your region and avoid breaking any laws.