Does Coinbase Report to the IRS?

Coinbase reports crypto sales, exchanges, and certain income to the IRS. But the information on your Coinbase tax forms may not tell the IRS how much profit you actually made.

The distinction matters more under the new Form 1099-DA rules. This guide covers what Coinbase reports, which transactions create tax obligations, and what records you need to file accurately.

Yes. Coinbase reports qualifying transactions to the IRS through Form 1099-DA, Form 1099-MISC, and other tax forms for certain financial products.

Form 1099-DA primarily reports proceeds from crypto sales and exchanges. Form 1099-MISC reports qualifying income such as staking and other rewards. Receiving neither form does not eliminate your obligation to report taxable cryptocurrency activity. Keep complete cost basis records for all your crypto wallets and exchanges to accurately report your gains, losses, and income.

What does Coinbase send and when?

Coinbase began issuing Form 1099-DA for the 2025 tax year, with those forms furnished in 2026. The first forms reported proceeds without cost basis. For qualifying covered assets sold in 2026, Coinbase must also report basis, with those forms arriving in 2027.

Coinbase also sends copies of its forms to the IRS. The 1099 crypto form shows what Coinbase reported. Log in, open Coinbase Taxes, and select Documents to download your forms and reports. Which forms you receive depends on your account activity and the applicable reporting requirements.

In the US, crypto is treated as property. Your taxes depend on what you do with it, not which platform you use.

Coinbase can show estimated gains, but your tax result depends on your cost basis method, how long you held the asset, and whether the transaction is income or a crypto capital gain. Most Coinbase activity falls into two buckets:

• Capital gains and losses: selling crypto for USD, swapping one coin for another, or spending crypto.

• Ordinary income: receiving rewards, staking income, or other incentive payments.

Common Coinbase activity and how it is taxed

Use this quick guide to help you understand the tax implications of your Coinbase activity, geared to US taxpayers:

Coinbase can report certain tax info to the IRS using 1099 forms. Here's a quick breakdown:

Why doesn't Coinbase report all my cost basis?

For the 2025 tax year, brokers were not required to report cost basis on Form 1099-DA. The rules change for 2026 transactions, but only for covered assets.

Generally, covered assets are cryptocurrency purchased on or after January 1, 2026, and held with the same broker until sale. Crypto acquired before 2026 or transferred into Coinbase from another wallet or exchange generally remains noncovered. Coinbase may report proceeds without your original purchase cost for these assets, so you'll need your own records to calculate the gain or loss.

To check your Form 1099-DA, match each sale on the form to your own records. Add your cost basis wherever box 1g is blank, which is common for crypto you transferred in or bought before 2026. Then enter each sale on Form 8949. If you're sure a figure on the form is wrong, ask Coinbase for a corrected form. Report your correct numbers either way.

Does Coinbase report my raw transactions to the IRS?

Coinbase does not send your full account export, but Form 1099-DA reports each sale or exchange to the IRS separately, with the asset, units, date, and proceeds.

However, Coinbase can share more information in response to a legal request, such as a subpoena or summons. In 2017, a federal court ordered Coinbase to give the IRS records on 14,355 account holders who had at least $20,000 in one transaction type in any year from 2013 to 2015. In June 2025, the Supreme Court declined to hear a customer's challenge to the summons, so the IRS's ruling stands.

The IRS can also use third-party reports and blockchain data to check for missing information. Always use your own records as your main source, and keep them in case you face a crypto tax audit.

Does Coinbase report conversions?

Yes, Coinbase reports proceeds from conversions. For US taxpayers, swapping one crypto for another counts as an exchange and is taxable when you give up an asset.

US taxpayers do not report unrealized gains from Coinbase on their tax return. You only report taxes when you realize a gain or loss, like when you sell for USD, swap for another asset, or spend crypto. Unrealized returns are useful for planning, but they do not go on Form 8949 until you actually dispose of the asset. Staking rewards and other crypto income can still create a reporting obligation even if you never sell.

Start by getting any 1099 forms from Coinbase and downloading your full transaction history. You usually need both for an accurate tax filing. Here's what to gather:

• Form 1099-DA if you had sales or exchanges that created gross proceeds.

• Form 1099-MISC, if you earned enough rewards or staking income to trigger a form.

• A complete transaction history export, including buys, sells, conversions, deposits, withdrawals, fees, and rewards.

• A gain and loss report, if available, as a starting point for reconciliation.

• Starting with tax year 2025, Coinbase no longer provides Form 8949 in its Tax Center. You need to prepare it yourself or use a tax tool.

Also collect records that Coinbase does not have:

• Cost basis for assets purchased outside Coinbase and later transferred in (from other exchanges or

  DeFi).

• Dates and values for any transfers between your own wallets, so you can prove they were self-moves.

• Fees paid on chain or on other platforms, because they can affect basis and proceeds.

Coinbase Taxes covers Coinbase.com activity only. It does not include Coinbase Wallet or Coinbase Pro transactions, so if you used either, gather those records separately.

Example: why gross proceeds are not your capital gain

Say you bought 1 ETH for $1,200 on another platform, transferred it into Coinbase, then swapped it for USDC when ETH was worth $2,000. Coinbase should report $2,000 of gross proceeds on Form 1099-DA, with no cost basis because the ETH came from another platform. Add your $1,200 basis on Form 8949 so you're taxed only on the gain.

Your taxable gain is not $2,000. It is the proceeds minus your cost basis, so $2,000 minus $1,200, before any fees.

Coinbase's portfolio view can help you track unrealized returns, but you often need another tool to calculate taxes accurately across different wallets and exchanges. This is even more important if you use multiple platforms.

• TokenTax works with Coinbase and other platforms to help you calculate your crypto cost basis and create Form 8949 reports. This is especially helpful if you have high trading volume, staking income, or many transfers.

• You can use a crypto portfolio tracker to monitor daily, then follow a tax workflow at the end of the year.

• A spreadsheet using Coinbase exports can work if you carefully track transfers and record every fee.

The IRS uses 1099 data to match information returns to your tax return, so accurate reporting is crucial this and every tax season. Keeping your records organized helps you avoid surprises. When in doubt, consult one of our crypto tax professionals for guidance.

Form 1040 asks every filer whether they received, sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of a digital asset during the year. If you had any Coinbase activity other than buying and holding, or moving crypto between your own wallets, you'll usually answer Yes.

Most states with an income tax also tax crypto gains and income, usually following federal rules. Check your state's tax agency.

1099 forms report to the IRS certain payments or proceeds linked to your taxpayer ID. If issued, both you and the IRS will receive the form(s).

Do not treat a 1099 as a complete source of truth for your crypto activity, especially cost basis and most especially if you're active in DeFi and/or move crypto across exchanges. 1099s are only a starting point, and you need to compare them with your own records to report accurately.

What is Form 1099-DA?

Form 1099-DA is the information return used for digital asset broker reporting. For tax year 2025, it reports gross proceeds from sales and exchanges. Starting with tax year 2026, it also reports cost basis, but only for covered assets: crypto acquired on or after January 1, 2026 and held at the same broker until sale.

Will I get a Coinbase 1099 form?

This depends on the nature of your activity. For 2025, Coinbase sends Form 1099-MISC if you earned $600 or more in eligible income, such as rewards or staking. For payments made in 2026, the IRS threshold rises to $2,000. Coinbase sends Form 1099-DA to US customers starting with the 2025 tax year. If you sold or exchanged crypto, you should receive a 1099-DA reporting gross proceeds.

How do I get a complete tax report from Coinbase?

Log in, open Coinbase Taxes, and select Documents to download your forms and reports. The most helpful exports are your raw transaction history and any gain and loss summary.

Get your Coinbase tax documents from Coinbase Taxes: log in, open Coinbase Taxes, and select Documents. Coinbase separates tax forms from exportable reports, so make sure to download both.