US Tightens Scrutiny on Crypto Transactions Over $10,000

Table of Contents

In 2024, a set of new regulations from the IRS will compel detailed reporting of digital asset transactions surpassing $10,000. Derived from the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, this initiative specifically targets crypto brokers, necessitating them to divulge comprehensive transaction details to the IRS.

Intensified Oversight on Brokers

This legislation places a spotlight on crypto exchanges and custodians, requiring them to report transactions exceeding the specified threshold. Within a 15-day timeframe, these entities must provide the IRS with the sender’s name, address, and social security number. Initially slated for implementation in January 2023, the requirements, aimed at narrowing the tax gap, have been deferred to 2024, when companies are expected to submit their reports.

Navigating Compliance Challenges

Jerry Brito, the executive director of Coin Center, voices concerns about the practicality of these new rules. He underscores the potential difficulties that users and brokers may encounter in adhering to the regulations without clear guidance from the IRS, posing risks of inadvertent non-compliance and consequential legal implications.

Navigating the intricacies of cryptocurrency transactions, particularly for miners and validators receiving block rewards exceeding $10,000, presents a challenge in determining whose information should be reported. The complexity extends to decentralized exchanges, where identifying transaction counterparts can be inherently convoluted.

Anonymous donations further complicate the situation, leaving reporting entities in a quandary when receiving Bitcoin or Ether without identifying information. Compliance becomes impossible when the sender’s details remain unknown.

The IRS, in response to the bipartisan infrastructure law, has heightened scrutiny on digital asset transactions. In dealing with these challenges, Coin Center proposes a de minimis exemption for smaller transactions. The crypto community eagerly anticipates additional guidance from the IRS to effectively navigate the evolving reporting landscape.