Blog

We keep you up to date on the latest tax changes and news in the industry.

Navigating the New 1099-DA for Crypto Transactions

Form 1099-DA, titled "Digital Asset Proceeds from Broker Transactions," represents the latest IRS initiative aimed at bolstering transparency and regulatory adherence within the rapidly evolving digital asset landscape. This pivotal document obligates specific brokers to meticulously report transactions related to cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other digital holdings.

Image 1

As the digital epoch burgeons, the IRS is mandated with modernizing its informational prerequisites to ensure alignment with contemporary transactional nuances. Form 1099-DA's enforcement kicks off in the 2025 tax cycle, implicating brokers in disseminating this critical form to clients and the IRS in the early months of 2026. Until now, digital asset reporting relied predominantly on self-declaration, often leading to disparities.

The Purpose and Impact of Form 1099-DA: The core objective of Form 1099-DA is to standardize the reporting of digital transactions, enhancing compliance rates and easing tax filing complexities for some investors. This new form demands rigorous bookkeeping to support precise reporting.

Entities Required to Issue Form 1099-DA: The onus of issuing Form 1099-DA falls on "brokers" that facilitate the trading or selling of digital assets. Expansively defined by the IRS, brokers encompass digital currency exchanges, payment infrastructures, and hosted custodial services. Contrarily, decentralized finance platforms and non-custodial applications are typically exempt from this requirement.

Recipients of Form 1099-DA: U.S. taxpayers engaging in the purchase, sale, or disposal of digital assets through qualifying brokers should anticipate receiving Form 1099-DA in 2026, reflecting transactions made in the preceding year. This encompasses a spectrum of activities, from trading to mining, staking, and even specific real estate dealings involving digital currencies.

Image 3

Details Disclosed on Form 1099-DA: This comprehensive form requires brokers to specify various transaction aspects, including:

  • Identity details of both payer and recipient.

  • Transaction specifics: asset name, volume, temporal data, and gross proceeds.

  • Cost basis information (compulsory for securities post-January 2026), initially voluntary for the 2025 year.

  • Asset holding durations.

  • Nature of the transaction.

  • Evaluative Fair Market Value (FMV).

  • Associated transaction costs.

  • Wash sales, specifically for tokenized assets.

The scope of Form 1099-DA adapts annually:

  • 2025 Transactions (Forms Issued in 2026): Courtesy mandates voluntary cost basis documentation, with a focus on gross proceeds from sales.

  • 2026 Transactions Onward (Forms Issued 2027+): An expansive dataset becomes compulsory, requiring detailed cost basis, acquisition, and disposition times, amongst others.

Tackling the Cost Basis Challenge for 2025: With the broker's discretion on reporting cost basis for 2025, the IRS might default unidentified figures to zero, potentially flagging discrepancies as underreported income. It's paramount for taxpayers to painstakingly maintain records of their digital dealings, including acquisition costs and dates, transaction fees, and proceeds, pivotal for sound Form 8949 and Schedule D submissions.

Specific Reporting Protocols for Stablecoins and NFTs: Tailored regulations are in place for select digital assets:

  • Stablecoins: From 2025, aggregations surpassing $10,000 can be reported collectively by brokers.

  • NFTs: Cumulative sales beyond $600 warrant broker report submissions.

Image 2

Leveraging Form 1099-DA for Tax Filings: Analogous to stock dealings chronicled on Form 1099-B, Form 1099-DA figures into tax returns by aligning reported transactions with taxpayer records, thereby delineating capital outcomes and registering them on Form 1040.

Advocated Measures for Crypto Enthusiasts: Investors navigating this compliance transition should adopt robust transaction record strategies, potentially integrating crypto tax platforms for accurate calculations, and be wary of any broker reportage gaps, chiefly with the 2025 cost basis flexibility. Vigilance, timely insights, and professional consultations remain quintessential in this adaptive environment.

IRS Digital Asset Queries: The perennial inquiry on Form 1040—pertaining to taxpayer engagement in digital assets—reveals heightened scrutiny now facilitated by Form 1099-DA submissions. Ensuring honest representation is critical, as declarations are under oath of authenticity. Missteps may lead to penalties.

For tailored advice and clarity on incorporating your crypto engagements into tax documentation, please reach out to our expert team.

Share this article...

Sign up for our newsletter.

Each month, we will send you a roundup of our latest blog content covering the tax and accounting tips & insights you need to know.

I confirm this is a service inquiry and not an advertising message or solicitation. By clicking “Submit”, I acknowledge and agree to the creation of an account and to the and .

We care about the protection of your data.