Guides › Crypto Year-End 2026: Records Checklist Before Jan 1
Crypto Year-End 2026: Records Checklist Before Jan 1
This site provides general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified tax professional. Last verified against IRS pages: October 17, 2026. Examples use made-up numbers. Anything marked expected is our calculation or an assumption, not an IRS-published date.
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Short answer: For 2026 brokers report gross proceeds for all digital assets and basis for covered securities (IRS 2026 instructions). Whatever they send, the IRS says you must calculate basis yourself before you file, and you must report all digital asset income, gains and losses. This checklist is about records, not trading decisions.
Checklist
- [ ] Download full transaction history from each exchange and wallet (CSV) for all years you hold assets.
- [ ] Note purchases before 2026 and transfers between your own wallets (these are treated as noncovered by brokers; see transfers).
- [ ] Record dates and amounts for each disposal (sale, swap, spending).
- [ ] Separate rewards or staking income (not reported on 1099-DA per the IRS instructions).
- [ ] List foreign exchanges: they may not send a 1099-DA, but taxable transactions are still reportable.
- [ ] Keep documents for lot identification if you identify specific units; without timely identification the broker may default to first-in, first-out (IRS 2026 instructions).
- [ ] Review the digital asset question on Form 1040 when you file.
- [ ] Expected broker forms: around mid-February 2027 (due date page).
About "year-end moves"
This page doesn't recommend any trade. The wash sale rule is explained on our wash sale page: it doesn't generally apply to cryptocurrency held directly under current law, but check current law and consult a professional.
FAQ
Do I need to do this if I only held? The IRS digital asset question is about specific transactions; see the IRS instructions for the wording.
What we could not verify
- Specific IRS wording of the 2026 digital asset question (we read the 2025 wording in earlier work only).
- Lot identification rules beyond the IRS 2026 instruction summary.
Sources (official)
- IRS, Instructions for Form 1099-DA (2026) — https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1099da (read in part October 17, 2026)
- IRS, Understanding your Form 1099-DA (updated June 28, 2026) — https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-da (read October 17, 2026)
Not tax advice. Examples use made-up figures. Nothing here has been reviewed by a tax professional. We may earn commissions from affiliate links where marked; see the disclosure.