IRS Sending Warning Letters to More Than 10,000 Cryptocurrency Holders
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‘Taxpayers should take these letters very seriously,’ IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said.
The Internal Revenue Service has begun sending letters to more than 10,000 cryptocurrency holders, warning they may have broken federal tax laws.
The agency wasn’t specific about the possible violations it was reviewing, but those who hold digital currencies could be subject to a variety of taxes, especially on capital gains.
“Taxpayers should take these letters very seriously. The IRS is expanding efforts involving virtual currency,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said.
The agency expects its mailing to be completed by the end of August. Three variations of the letter are being sent, depending on the information the IRS has about the recipient.
The IRS letters come as bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, has ridden a new wave of optimism in recent months. In mid-July, bitcoin topped $12,000, more than three times its value at the end of 2018. Investors, speculators and Facebook Inc. have extolled the potential of digital currencies.
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