PARITY Act Explained—House Lawmakers Propose New Crypto Tax Rules

Core Insights - A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced the Digital Asset Protection, Accountability, Regulation, Innovation, Taxation, and Yields (PARITY) Act, aiming to reform the treatment of digital assets under U.S. tax law [1][8] Stablecoins and Everyday Payments - The PARITY Act includes a de minimis tax exemption for regulated payment stablecoins, allowing small gains or losses from routine transactions to generally go untaxed [3][4] - This proposal aims to align stablecoin payments with foreign currency transactions, providing tax relief for low-value transactions [3] - Only dollar-pegged stablecoins issued by approved entities would qualify for this tax exemption, applicable only if the stablecoin trades within a narrow price band [4] Broader Crypto Tax Reforms - The PARITY Act proposes extending wash-sale rules from the stock market to actively traded digital assets, preventing investors from claiming tax deductions on losses if they quickly repurchase the same tokens [6][7] - Additional reforms include mark-to-market accounting and rules to prevent gain deferral through complex derivatives or hedging strategies [7] - The bill also addresses digital asset lending, allowing certain crypto loans to avoid immediate tax recognition, similar to securities lending [9] - Clearer rules for staking and mining rewards are proposed, enabling taxpayers to defer income recognition for several years [9]