Crypto Tax Calculator — Short & Long-Term Gains
Calculate capital gains tax on crypto: buy price, sell price, holding period, short vs long-term rates, and the 3.8% NIIT surtax. Free, in-browser, nothing stored.
Every crypto sale is a taxable event in the US, and the rate depends entirely on how long you held: short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income, long-term at 0/15/20%. Enter your cost basis, sale proceeds, and dates, and see the federal tax due — including where the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax kicks in.
It works the same for stocks and other investments, so you can sanity-check a whole portfolio's realized gains before filing — without connecting an exchange account or uploading transaction history anywhere.
100% in-browser · no upload · no signup · nothing you paste or drop here leaves your device
US Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Calculate federal, NIIT, and state capital gains tax for 2026.
Long-term capital gains rates (0%/15%/20%) are based on IRS inflation-adjusted brackets for 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32). NIIT (3.8%) applies above $200K/$250K. State rates are simplified. This is for estimation only — consult a tax professional.
How capital gains tax works — illustrated
A capital gain is the difference between what you sell an asset for and what you paid for it (your cost basis). The key driver is holding period: sell within 365 days and the gain is short-term, taxed at your ordinary income rate (up to 37% in 2026); hold longer and it becomes long-term, taxed at the preferential 0%, 15%, or 20% rates. The long-term rate you pay depends on your total taxable income, including the gain itself. A 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) can also apply once your income passes $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married).
Held more than 365 days, a gain qualifies for the long-term ladder: 0% up to $49,450 of taxable income, 15% to $545,500, and 20% above. Held shorter, it is taxed like wages at ordinary rates up to 37%.
Priya, a software engineer in Seattle, bought $20,000 of index-fund shares and sold them for $35,000 after 400 days. She has $80,000 of ordinary income and files single.
- Gain & holding period:$35,000 − $20,000 = $15,000 gain; held 400 days → long-term
- Taxable income:$80,000 ordinary − $16,100 standard deduction + $15,000 gain = $78,900 taxable income
- Long-term rate:$95,000 falls in the 15% band, so the whole $15,000 gain is taxed at 15%
- NIIT check:$95,000 < $200,000 threshold → no 3.8% NIIT; federal tax on the gain ≈ $2,250
About this crypto tax calculator
This page covers do i pay tax on crypto gains, bitcoin capital gains tax, crypto short term vs long term, capital gains on bitcoin calculator — all the same underlying task as crypto tax calculator. The tool above is FreeToolHub's capital gains embedded in full: every feature works right here, and nothing you process is uploaded to any server.
Frequently asked questions
How is crypto taxed in the US?
Selling, trading, or spending crypto is a disposal: gain or loss = proceeds − cost basis, taxed as short-term (ordinary rates, held ≤1 year) or long-term (0/15/20%, held >1 year). The 3.8% NIIT applies when modified AGI exceeds $200K single / $250K married. Mere holding and wallet-to-wallet transfers of your own property are not taxable.
What counts as cost basis for crypto?
What you paid to acquire it, including fees — for purchases that's the fiat amount on the purchase date; for received crypto (airdrops, payment) it's the fair market value when received. Exchanges only report proceeds, not basis, so keep your own records or your gains will be overstated on the return.