Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Digital Asset Protection, Accountability, Regulation, Innovation, Taxation, and Yields Act

or the

Digital Asset PARITY Act

Tax treatment of regulated payment stablecoin transactions

(a)

In general

Part III of subchapter O of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 1045 the following new section:

1046.

Regulated payment stablecoin transactions

(a)

Sale of regulated payment stablecoin

(1)

In general

In the case of any sale or exchange of a regulated payment stablecoin, no gain or loss shall be recognized on such sale or exchange unless the taxpayer’s basis in such stablecoin is less than 99 percent of the redemption value of such stablecoin.(2)

Redemption value

For purposes of this subsection, the term redemption value means the dollar amount for which the issuer is obligated to redeem such stablecoin.(b)

Exchange of regulated payment stablecoin

In the case of any exchange of a regulated payment stablecoin, the acquirer’s basis in such stablecoin shall be deemed to be $1.(c)

Transaction costs not included in basis

Amounts paid or incurred to facilitate the sale or exchange of a regulated payment stablecoin shall not be included in the calculation of the basis of such stablecoin.(d)

Regulated payment stablecoin

(1)

In general

For purposes of this section, the term regulated payment stablecoin means a digital asset—(A)that is a payment stablecoin issued by a permitted payment stablecoin issuer,(B)with respect to which the issuer is obligated to convert, redeem, or repurchase the payment stablecoin for a fixed amount of United States dollars, and(C)which was acquired by the taxpayer for a price within 1 percent of $1.00.(2)

Definitions

The terms payment stablecoin and permitted payment stablecoin issuer have the meaning given those terms, respectively, in section 2 of the GENIUS Act (12 U.S.C. 5901).(e)

Dealers and traders

This section shall not apply to the sale or exchange of any regulated payment stablecoin by a taxpayer who is a dealer or trader in securities or commodities.(f)

Regulations and guidance

The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations or other guidance as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out this section, including to prevent the avoidance of tax under this section.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections for part III of subchapter O of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1045 the following new item:

Sec. 1046. Regulated payment stablecoin transactions.

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Digital asset trading safe harbor

(a)

In general

Paragraph (2) of section 864(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D) and by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:

(C)

Traded digital assets

(i)

In general

Trading in traded digital assets through a resident broker, commission agent, custodian, or other independent agent.(ii)

Trading for taxpayer’s own account

Trading in traded digital assets for the taxpayer’s own account, whether by the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s employees or through a resident broker, commission agent, custodian, digital asset exchange, or other agent, and whether or not any such employee or agent has discretionary authority to make decisions in effecting the transactions. This clause shall not apply in the case of a dealer in digital assets.(iii)

Limitation

This subparagraph shall apply only if the digital assets are of a kind customarily dealt in on a digital asset exchange.

(b)

Conforming amendment

Subparagraph (D) of section 864(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by striking (A)(i) and (B)(i) and inserting (A)(i), (B)(i), and (C)(i).(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.

Tax treatment of digital asset lending agreements and related matters

(a)

In general

Subsection (a) of section 1058 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting , or eligible digital assets after (as defined in section 1236(c)).(b)

Basis

Subsection (c) of section 1058 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: In the case of a basis adjustment to securities or eligible digital assets with respect to which an agreement is in place which meets the requirements of subsection (b), such adjustment shall be made by factoring in the return to the transferor of securities identical to the securities transferred..(c)

Substitute payments

Section 1058 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d)

Substitute payments

Any payment made to a lender pursuant to an agreement described in subsection (b) in lieu of staking rewards, transaction fees, protocol distributions, or other amounts that would otherwise be payable with respect to a lent digital asset shall be included in the gross income of the lender in the same manner as if such amounts had been received directly by the lender.

(d)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this section, or any amendments made by this section, shall be construed to create any inference with respect to the classification of any digital asset as a security under the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).(e)

Rulemaking authority

The Secretary of the Treasury (or the Secretary’s delegate) may adopt rules to implement the amendments made by this section, including the application of the amendments made by this section to forks, airdrops, and similar subsidiary value.(f)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to exchanges in taxable years beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.

Application of wash sale rules to digital assets

(a)

In general

Section 1091 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—(1)by striking stock or securities each place it appears and inserting specified assets, and(2)by striking shares of each place it appears.(b)

Specified asset

Section 1091 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:

(g)

Specified asset

For purposes of this section—(1)

In general

The term specified asset means—(A)any stock or security, and(B)any digital asset.(2)

Contracts and options

Except as otherwise provided in regulations, the term specified asset shall include any contract or option to acquire or sell any specified asset described in paragraph (1).(h)

Treatment of certain assets as substantially identical

(1)

In general

For purposes of determining whether an asset is substantially identical to any digital asset under this section, except to the extent provided by regulations prescribed by the Secretary—(A)the determination of whether an asset is substantially identical to any other asset shall be made on the basis of the economic exposure of the asset,(B)the mere fact that an asset may have different or no voting rights shall not prevent the asset from being substantially identical to any other asset,(C)the mere fact that an asset may trade on a different exchange (or no exchange) or a different blockchain (or no blockchain) shall not be taken into account, and(D)any asset that would not otherwise be treated as substantially identical to another asset shall not be so treated merely because the asset is based on the same or substantially similar protocol or computer code.(2)

No inference

Nothing in this subsection shall create any inference as to whether any property is substantially identical to any property that is not a digital asset or as to whether any property was substantially identical to any digital asset before the effective date of this subsection.

(c)

Conforming amendments

(1)Sections 312(f)(1), 1256(f)(5), and 6045(g)(2)(B)(ii) are each amended by striking stock or securities and inserting specified assets.(2)Section 1091(a) is amended by striking the last sentence.(3)Section 1091(e) (as amended by subsection (a)) is amended to read as follows:

(e)

Certain short sales of specified assets and specified asset futures contracts To sell

Rules similar to the rules of subsection (a) shall apply to any loss realized on the closing of a short sale of (or the sale, exchange, or termination of a specified asset futures contract to sell) specified assets if, within a period beginning 30 days before the date of such closing and ending 30 days after such date—(1)substantially identical specified assets were sold, or(2)another short sale of (or specified asset futures contracts to sell) substantially identical specified assets was entered into.

For purposes of this subsection, the term specified asset futures contract has the meaning provided by section 1234B(c).

(4)The heading of section 1091 is amended by striking

stock or securities

and inserting

specified assets

.(5)The headings of subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 1091 are each amended by striking

Stock

each place it appears and inserting

Specified Assets

.(6)The item relating to section 1091 in the table of sections for part VII of subchapter O of chapter 1 is amended by striking stock or securities and inserting specified assets.(d)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to sales, dispositions, and terminations after the date of enactment of this Act.

Mark-to-market election

(a)

In general

Section 475 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h) and by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection:

(g)

Election of mark To market for dealers and traders in actively-Traded digital assets

(1)

Dealer in digital assets

In the case of a dealer in actively-traded digital assets who elects the application of this subsection, this section shall apply to digital assets held by such dealer in the same manner as this section applies to securities held by a dealer in securities.(2)

Trader in digital assets

In the case of a person who is engaged in a trade or business as a trader in actively traded digital assets, and who elects to have this paragraph apply to such trade or business as a trader in actively traded digital assets, subsection (f)(1) shall apply to digital assets held by the trader in connection with such trade or business in the same manner as such subsection applies to securities held by a trader in securities.(3)

Limitation

An election under this section shall only apply to digital assets treated as actively traded (as defined by the Secretary).(4)

Regulations and guidance

The Secretary shall issue such regulations and guidance as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.

(b)

Effective date

The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.

Application of constructive sale rules to digital assets

(a)

In general

Section 1259 is amended by inserting digital asset, after debt instrument, each place it appears.(b)

Effective date

The amendment made by this section shall apply to constructive sales after the date of enactment of this Act.

Treatment of digital assets acquired through validation activities

(a)

In general

Chapter 1 is amended by inserting after subchapter V the following new subchapter:

Digital assets acquired through validation activities

Sec. 1400W–1. Inclusion in gross income; expenses not capitalized.

Sec. 1400W–2. Election to defer inclusion of income and capitalize expenses.

Sec. 1400W–3. Definitions.

1400W–1.

Inclusion in gross income; expenses not capitalized

In the case of the acquisition of any newly created digital asset by a taxpayer which is a specified taxpayer during any taxable year—(1)the fair market value of such asset shall be included in such taxpayer’s gross income as ordinary income for such taxable year, and(2)the taxpayer’s basis in such asset shall be increased by the amount included in gross income under paragraph (1).

1400W–2.

Election to defer inclusion of income and capitalize expenses

(a)

In general

In the case of a taxpayer which is a specified taxpayer for any taxable year to which an election under subsection (c) applies—(1)any newly created digital asset acquired by such taxpayer during such taxable year shall not be included in the taxpayer’s gross income,(2)specified transaction costs paid or incurred during such taxable year shall be chargeable to capital account and no deduction shall otherwise be allowed under this subtitle with respect to such costs, and(3)section 1400W–1 shall not apply.(b)

Gain and loss on disposition during election period treated as ordinary

In the case of the disposition of any newly created digital asset to which subsection (a)(1) applies—(1)the excess (if any) of—(A)the amount realized (in the case of a sale or exchange) or the fair market value of such asset (in the case of any other disposition), over(B)the adjusted basis of such asset,

shall be treated as gain which is ordinary income (and such gain shall be recognized notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle), and

(2)the excess (if any) of the amount described in paragraph (1)(B) over the amount described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be treated as loss which is ordinary loss.(c)

Election

(1)

In general

An election under this section shall apply for the taxable year for which made and each of the four successive taxable years thereafter unless revoked by the taxpayer. Such election shall be made at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may provide.(2)

Application to partnerships and S corporations

In the case of any partnership or S corporation, the election under this section shall be made at the partnership or S corporation level.(d)

Gains and losses on disposition after election period

In the case of the sale, exchange, or other disposition of a digital asset with respect to which an election was in effect under subsection (b) for a prior taxable year, gains and losses with respect to such asset shall be treated as long-term capital gains or long-term capital losses, as the case may be.

1400W–3.

Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter—(1)

Newly created digital asset

The term newly created digital asset means any digital asset—(A)not previously owned by any person other than the validator, and(B)that is issued in connection with the validation of digital asset transactions.(2)

Specified taxpayer

The term specified taxpayer means, with respect to the acquisition of any newly created digital asset that is issued in connection with the validation of digital asset transactions, a taxpayer who is the person who validated the digital asset transactions in connection with which such digital asset was issued.(3)

Specified transaction costs

The term specified transaction costs means any amount paid or incurred in validating any digital asset transaction if, at the time such amount is paid or incurred there is a reasonable possibility that the taxpayer will acquire a newly created digital asset in connection with such validation, including amounts to—(A)claim or withdraw such asset from a staking pool, validator, or protocol,(B)execute a smart contract function to receive such asset, or(C)transfer such asset to a wallet or account controlled by the taxpayer.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of subchapters for chapter 1 is amended by inserting after the item relating to subchapter V the following new item:

Subchapter W—Digital assets acquired through validation activities

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to assets acquired in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Charitable contributions and qualified appraisals

(a)

In general

Section 170(f)(11)(A)(ii)(I) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting actively traded digital assets, before and any qualified vehicle.(b)

Clarification of application to qualified appraisals

Section 170(f)(11)(B) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following sentence: The requirements of this subparagraph shall not apply to contributions of actively traded digital assets.(c)

Substantiation and valuation requirements

Section 170(f) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(20)

Infrequently traded digital assets

(A)

In general

In the case of a contribution of a digital asset which is not an actively traded digital asset the claimed value of which exceeds $500—(i)paragraph (8) shall not apply and no deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for such contribution unless the taxpayer substantiates the contribution by a contemporaneous written acknowledgment of the contribution by the donee organization that meets the requirements of subparagraph (B) and includes the acknowledgment with the taxpayer's return of tax which includes the deduction, and(ii)if the organization sells such asset, the amount of the deduction allowed under subsection (a) shall not exceed the gross proceeds received from such sale.(B)

Content of acknowledgment

An acknowledgment meets the requirements of this subparagraph if it includes the following information:(i)The name and taxpayer identification number of the donor.(ii)Details of the transfer of the digital asset contribution, including—(I)specific addresses involved in the contribution,(II)a description of the digital asset contributed, and(III)the date of the contribution.(iii)A certification that the digital asset was sold in an arm’s length transaction between unrelated parties.(iv)The amount of gross proceeds from the sale described in clause (iii).(v)A statement that the deductible amount may not exceed the amount the gross proceeds described in clause (iv).(vi)Whether the donee organization provided any goods or services in consideration, in whole or in part, for the digital asset.(vii)A description and good faith estimate of the value of any goods or services referred to in clause (vi), or if such goods or services consist solely of intangible religious benefits (as defined in 170(f)(8)(B)), a statement to that effect.(C)

Contemporaneous acknowledgement; Information to Secretary

Rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (C)(i) and (D) of paragraph (12) shall apply.

(d)

Penalty for fraudulent acknowledgment

(1)

In general

Part I of subchapter B of chapter 68 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

6720D.

Fraudulent acknowledgments with respect to donations of digital assets

(a)

In general

Any donee organization required under section 170(f)(20)(A) to furnish a contemporaneous written acknowledgment to a donor which knowingly furnishes a false or fraudulent acknowledgment, or which knowingly fails to furnish such acknowledgment in the manner, at the time, and showing the information required under section 170(f)(20), or regulations prescribed thereunder, shall for each such act, or for each such failure, be subject to a penalty equal to the greater of—(1)the product of the highest rate of tax specified in section 1 and the sales price stated on the acknowledgment, or(2)the gross proceeds from the sale of such digital asset.(b)

Regulatory authority

The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations or other guidance as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(2)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections of part I of subchapter B of chapter 68 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

Sec. 6720D. Fraudulent acknowledgments with respect to donations of digital assets.

(e)

Effective dates

The amendments made by this section shall apply to contributions and acknowledgments made in taxable years beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.

10.

Tax treatment of certain digital asset activities

(a)

In general

Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (p) as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the following new subsection:

(p)

Tax treatment of certain digital asset activities

(1)

Passive staking not a trade or business

(A)

In general

Passive staking shall not constitute a trade or business, including for purposes of sections 512 and 864.(B)

Passive staking

For purposes of this subsection—(i)

In general

The term passive staking means staking by an individual or entity that is a passive validator.(ii)

Passive validator

The term passive validator means, with respect to the acquisition of any newly created digital asset (as defined in section 1400W–3)—(I)the person who validated the digital asset transactions in connection with which such digital asset was issued, and(II)with respect to which there are no deductible business expenses relating to such validation activity.(2)

Digital assets in investment trusts

For purposes of this title, in the case of a digital asset investment trust formed to hold digital assets—(A)any power held by the trustee to stake or unstake digital assets, whether directly or through delegation to another party, and to perform any related acts to exercise such power to stake, including the retention of staking rewards, shall not be treated as a power under such trust agreement to vary the investment of the certificate holders of such trust and shall not otherwise disqualify an entity from characterization as an investment trust that is not classified as a business entity under this section,(B)discretionary powers held by a trustee to use other measures, including a borrowing facility, to manage the trust’s potential need for assets available to satisfy redemptions shall not be treated as a power under the applicable trust agreement to vary the investment of the certificate holders of such trust, and(C)discretionary powers held by a trustee to act in response to changes to technology supporting the digital assets held by the trust, including with regard to staking, shall not be treated as a power under the applicable trust agreement to vary the investment of the certificate holders of such trust.

(b)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

11.

Definitions

Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by this Act, is amended—(1)by redesignating subsection (q) as subsection (r), and(2)by inserting after subsection (p) the following new subsection:

(q)

Definitions related to digital assets

For purposes of this title—(1)

Digital asset

The term digital asset means a digital representation of value which is recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or any similar technology as specified by the Secretary.(2)

Digital asset exchange

The term digital asset exchange means a platform which facilitates the transfer of digital assets by taking custody of, or exercising control over, such assets on behalf of users.(3)

Actively traded digital asset

(A)

In general

The term actively traded digital asset means, with respect to any taxpayer for any taxable year, any digital asset—(i)which is fungible,(ii)with a minimum trading volume of $50,000,000 for the two calendar years immediately preceding the sale or exchange of such asset,(iii)with a minimum yearly market capitalization of $10,000,000,000 for the three calendar years immediately preceding the sale or exchange of such asset, and(iv)with respect to which the taxpayer and the related parties of the taxpayer hold no more than 5 percent by value or units of such asset.(B)

Inflation adjustment

In the case of any calendar year after 2025, each of the dollar amounts in subparagraph (A) shall be increased by an amount equal to—(i)such amount, multiplied by(ii)the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for such calendar year, determined by substituting calendar year 2024 for calendar year 2016 in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.

Any increase determined under the preceding sentence which is not a multiple of $100,000 shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100,000.

(4)

Eligible digital asset

The term eligible digital asset means a digital asset that—(A)is fungible,(B)is of a type for which a market price is readily ascertainable based on publicly available quotations on a digital asset exchange,(C)does not represent or confer any ownership interest, equity interest, debt obligation, or other financial or property right in any entity, asset, commodity, or enterprise, and(D)is designed and functions as a medium of exchange, store of value, or unit of account, and is recorded and transferred through distributed ledger or blockchain technology.(5)

Traded digital asset

The term traded digital asset means a digital representation of value that—(A)is designed and functions as a medium of exchange, store of value, or unit of account,(B)is recorded and transferred through distributed ledger or blockchain technology,(C)does not represent or confer any ownership interest, equity interest, debt obligation, or other financial or property right in any entity, asset, commodity, or enterprise, and(D)does not derive its value from, or represent a claim on, any fiat currency, commodity, security, or other financial instrument.(6)

Validation activity

The term validation activity means staking, mining, or similar activities in support of the validation of digital asset transactions.(7)

Mining

The term mining, when used in connection with a digital asset, means—(A)performing computations, or making available computing power, in support of the validation of digital asset transactions, and(B)except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, any substantially similar activity.(8)

Staking

The term staking, when used in connection with a digital asset, means—(A)making such asset available in support of the validation of digital asset transactions by pledging, deploying, immobilizing, or locking to support validation of transactions on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger, or(B)except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, any substantially similar activity.

12.

Study and report on relief for digital asset consumer transactions

(a)

Study and report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing—(1)the estimated compliance burden currently imposed on taxpayers by gain recognition requirements for small digital asset transactions, expressed in aggregate hours and dollars, and disaggregated by income level,(2)the extent to which information reporting under section 6045 captures digital asset transactions of $200 or less, including the gap attributable to transactions conducted without a broker intermediary,(3)the administrative and technological requirements necessary for the Internal Revenue Service to verify taxpayer eligibility for a de minimis exclusion within existing appropriations,(4)the potential for abuse of a de minimis exclusion, including through transaction fragmentation, the use of multiple accounts or wallets, and the mischaracterization of investment dispositions as consumer transactions, and the mechanisms available to detect and deter such abuse without imposing additional taxpayer reporting burdens,(5)the extent to which any de minimis exclusion could be implemented in a manner that maintains consistency between taxpayer reporting and third-party information reporting under section 6045,(6)any disparities in reporting, compliance, or enforcement between custodial and non-custodial digital asset transactions that would arise from a de minimis exclusion,(7)recommended legislative or regulatory approaches, if any, that would provide meaningful consumer relief while remaining administrable by the Internal Revenue Service within existing resources,(8)the cost of additional resources that would enable the Internal Revenue Service to fully enforce existing laws concerning digital assets,(9)the extent to which tax reporting, compliance, or enforcement does not meet Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) standards, with recommended legislative or regulatory approaches, if any, that would bring the United States into compliance with CARF, and(10)the extent of tax avoidance risks associated with digital asset transactions, including through noncompliance, offshore activity, or structuring techniques, and the feasibility of establishing a voluntary disclosure program to facilitate taxpayer compliance with respect to such transactions.(b)

Interim guidance

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance identifying categories of digital asset transactions for which relief from gain or loss recognition may be provided under existing authority, including where—(1)compliance burdens are disproportionate relative to potential tax liability, and(2)such relief can be administered without undermining information reporting or return matching.(c)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that—(1)taxpayers should not be subject to undue compliance burdens for low-value digital asset transactions undertaken for personal consumption,(2)any de minimis exclusion should be designed to provide meaningful relief to users while maintaining the integrity of the Federal tax system, and(3)such relief should be implemented only in a manner that is administrable within existing Internal Revenue Service resources.(d)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to—(1)create or imply the existence of a de minimis exclusion for digital asset transactions, or(2)provide independent authority to the Secretary to implement such an exclusion except to the extent otherwise authorized under existing law.(e)

Secretary

For purposes of this section, the term Secretary means the Secretary of the Treasury or the Secretary’s delegate.