Cryptocurrency is currently one of the hottest topics in taxation. The use cases of crypto are continually evolving, and official IRS guidance is perpetually several years behind the types of transactions investors engage in. We are left trying to force a crypto transaction to fit into the existing code that was not written with crypto in mind. Additionally, with the lack of official guidance, we are forced to attempt to anticipate how the IRS will interpret novel transactions or worry about potential penalties and interest down the road. Staking is a transaction that has become extremely common among crypto users, yet the IRS is silent on how to report and tax it.
Read on to learn more about cryptocurrency “mining”, staking, and how the current IRS interpretations of the tax code (or lack thereof) may affect your income reporting.