
Unlike the dollar or other “fiat” money, the currency is generated by code and circulates without a central regulatory body. What is Cryptocurrency?Ĭryptocurrency is a digital asset that functions like currency. In a recent study, Fidelity Charitable found crypto owners to be more charitable than the typical investor, but 46 percent of these donors noted it was difficult to find nonprofits that accept cryptocurrency donations. Accepting cryptocurrency isn’t as difficult as you may think – and it can open up the opportunity to engage new donors for your nonprofit. This means that donors don’t have to recognize capital gains and, if they itemize deductions, could potentially deduct up to the fair market value of the donated asset. Cryptocurrency is considered property and donating it is a nontaxable event. On the flip side, the IRS incentivizes donations of crypto similarly to gifts of stock.

Yet, cryptocurrency has reached and sustained a valuation of over $2 trillion in 2021, and many people are now sitting on appreciated coins with not many places to use them. On top of all the other fundraising strategies nonprofits have to master, you may be thinking that the additional hassle of figuring out cryptocurrency donations may not be worth it. However, with so many tools available at your disposal, it is simple to get started. It’s a new technology that is constantly evolving, and it’s understandable if you have some apprehension or confusion about how it all works. In 2020, it sent multiple rounds of letters to crypto holders reminding them to report their taxable transactions.With so many ways for nonprofits to accept cryptocurrency donations, you don’t need to turn away donors who wish to donate their Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other coins. The tax regulator has further shown its commitment to cracking down on crypto evasion in the past year, asking taxpayers if they've engaged in any taxable crypto transactions at the top of the 1040 form. The IRS took similar action against Coinbase in 2016, which led to a year-long court fight before the exchange finally produced thousands of customer records.

taxpayers and information about their crypto transactions. The IRS summons asks Circle and affiliated firms, including Poloniex, to provide information in relation to an investigation of those who "may have to comply with any provision of any internal revenue laws." This includes records identifying U.S. We will enforce the law where we find systemic noncompliance or fraud," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in a statement.

“The John Doe summons is a step to enable the IRS to uncover those who are failing to properly report their virtual currency transactions. residents who are failing to fulfill tax obligations related to cryptocurency, according to the IRS and DOJ. The action is specifically aimed at identifying U.S. To be clear, the IRS is not accusing Circle of any wrongdoing. He found "there is a reasonable basis for believing that cryptocurrency users may have failed to comply with federal tax laws," according to the DOJ statement. It allows the IRS to obtain the names and information of taxpayers who fall in a certain group, like a list of investors, that could potentially be in violation of tax law. The IRS is seeking the records of Americans who engaged in business with or through Circle, a digital currency exchanger headquartered in Boston."Ī John Doe summons doesn't list the name of those being investigated and empowers the IRS to request information about taxpayers it hasn't yet identified. taxpayers who conducted at least the equivalent of $20,000 in transactions in cryptocurrency during the years 2016 to 2020. Per the statement, the IRS is "seeking information about U.S.

The statement explicitly named Poloniex, which Circle acquired in 2018 and spun out the following year. residents are meeting their tax obligations.Īccording to a Thursday statement from the Department of Justice, the tax watchdog plans to serve a John Doe summons to circle and its affiliates. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking customer records from crypto firm Circle to check U.S.
