IRS issues temporary relief on crypto cost-basis method changes

As a seasoned researcher who has followed the cryptocurrency market for over a decade, I am thrilled to see the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) granting temporary relief from the controversial FIFO rule. This move is a testament to the growing recognition of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate financial instrument and a step towards fostering a more favorable environment for crypto investors.

Having closely observed the market’s volatility, I can attest that the initial ruling could have been disastrous during a bull run. The default FIFO method would have forced unwitting investors to sell their earliest-purchased assets first, potentially maximizing capital gains and causing unnecessary tax burdens. This temporary relief provides much-needed breathing room for crypto taxpayers and ensures that they can maintain control over their accounting methods until 2025.

The lawsuit filed by the Blockchain Association and the Texas Blockchain Council against the IRS further highlights the need for balanced regulation in the cryptocurrency space. As a researcher, I firmly believe that striking the right balance between regulation and fostering innovation is essential to ensure the long-term success of this burgeoning industry.

In closing, let me share an anecdote that perfectly encapsulates my feelings towards this development: Just as a farmer needs sunshine, water, and fertile soil to cultivate a bountiful crop, so too does the crypto market require a supportive regulatory environment, technological innovation, and investor confidence. This temporary relief from the FIFO rule is, in essence, the much-needed sunshine that our burgeoning digital agriculture needs to thrive.

And now, for a bit of humor: I suppose you could say that this temporary relief is the “FIFO” step towards a brighter future for crypto investors—pun intended!

Temporarily, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the U.S. has granted an exception to a regulation whereby holders of cryptocurrencies on centralized platforms would have been required to use a not-so-optimal method for recording their transactions.

Originally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decided that if investors using Centralized Financing (CeFi) brokers for their cryptocurrency investments failed to choose a specific accounting strategy, such as Highest In, First Out (HIFO) or Specific Identification (Spec ID), the broker would automatically report the sales using the First In, First Out (FIFO) method.

In the United States, the standard method for determining capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies is called FIFO, or “First In, First Out.” This means that when you sell your digital assets, the ones you bought first are assumed to be the ones sold first, thus increasing your capital gains.

According to Shehan Chandrasekera, the head of tax at Cointracker, you no longer need to adhere strictly to the First In, First Out (FIFO) method as was previously required.

FIFO automatic rule postponed

Chandrasekera cautioned that implementing this regulation straightaway might have had “catastrophic” consequences for numerous cryptocurrency taxpayers during a period of high market activity.

He mentioned that some investors could accidentally sell their initially bought assets – the ones with the lowest initial investment costs – first. This action, unbeknownst to them, might inadvertently result in a higher capital gains amount.

In a recent post on January 1st, crypto commentator Mark Thomas explained that the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) method could potentially be advantageous under specific circumstances. This would occur when the date of your crypto sale is more than a year after the earliest crypto you purchased, but less than a year after the most recent crypto you acquired.

“FIFO, in this case, would mean long-term capital gains instead of short-term,” Thomas said.

The short-term discount for purchases made through centralized cryptocurrency exchanges will last until December 31, 2025. This is to provide brokers with ample time to accommodate various accounting procedures.

Crypto taxpayers will be able to maintain their own records until that date.

Blockchain Association takes legal action against IRS

The news arrives shortly following the Blockchain Association and the Texas Blockchain Council’s legal action against the IRS on December 28, claiming that the regulations mandating brokers to disclose digital asset transactions and broadening current guidelines to encompass decentralized exchange platforms as well, are deemed unconstitutional.

Starting from 2027, it will be mandatory for brokers to share details concerning taxpayers engaged in digital asset transactions, along with reporting the total earnings from the sale of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

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2025-01-01 09:41