Commentary Balancing the Need for Tax Fairness with the Unique Characteristics of Cryptocurrencies
Donald Marron
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This comment letter to the US Senate Finance Committee addresses the tax treatment of cryptocurrency staking. Stakers validate blockchain transactions and receive compensation for that work in the form of more cryptocurrency tokens. They should pay ordinary income taxes on the rewards they receive and get deductions for the expenses they incur. Some expenses of staking are obvious, such as the costs of running computers. But there is also a non-obvious expense: cost recovery. If policymakers want to tax stakers like other service providers, the tax code should provide appropriate cost recovery deductions for staked tokens.

Primary topic Federal Budget and Economy
Research Area Federal Budget and Economy