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The Daily Insight

Do you have to pay taxes if you hold crypto?

Author

Andrew Mclaughlin

Published Apr 03, 2026

If you’re buying and selling cryptocurrencies, you’ll pay capital gains taxes on the profits. However, if you hold on to your cryptocurrency for a year or more, you’ll pay long-term capital gains—which may be beneficial. (The same capital gains rules and rates apply to other investments, such as stocks.)

Do you pay taxes on coin collection?

Tax Rates. Coins are collectibles, which means that even though the profits are long-term capital gains, you don’t usually qualify for a lower tax rate. Instead, the gains on the coins are taxed at either 28 percent or your marginal tax rate, whichever is lower.

Do I have to report Crypto on taxes if I didn’t sell?

Under U.S. tax law, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are classified as property and subject to capital gains taxes. But you only owe taxes when those gains are realized. Similar to trading stocks, you only need to list gains you earn from bitcoin as income when you decide to sell.

Cryptocurrency is considered “property” for federal income tax purposes. And, for the typical investor, the IRS treats it as a capital asset. As a result, crypto taxes are no different than the taxes you pay on any other gain realized on the sale or exchange of a capital asset.

Do you have to pay taxes on stable coins?

Stablecoins are taxed as property, just like other crypto That means that sales or exchanges of stablecoins must be reported on on your taxes — even if you had no gain or loss.

How are silver coins taxed when sold for a profit?

Silver bullion, when sold for a profit, does not necessarily mean all fiat US dollar currency gains will get taxed at a 28% maximum tax rate. Learn the different treatments between silver capital gains and silver capital losses and how your tax situation could be affected by either.

What makes a gold coin a collectible for the IRS?

Essentially, the opinion of other collectors and experts, based on what they are willing to pay for your collection, determines its value. For example, a typical one-ounce gold coin is worth about $1,200 based upon the value of the metal and would not be considered a collectible by the IRS.

What kind of tax do collectibles have to pay?

Collectibles are taxable at a maximum tax rate of 28 percent when they are sold. The tax applies to profit on the sale of your collectibles.

How much can you write off on silver coins?

Current rules for silver bullion sale losses allow US citizens to write off up to $3,000 fiat US dollars per year. With tax writeoff carryovers year after year if the silver loss is large enough. By filing capital loss deductions, investors can lessen their yearly tax bill.