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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesKeep transaction-level records that show what digital assets you acquired or received, when and how much, their value and tax basis, and what happened when you later sold, exchanged, transferred, or otherwise disposed of them. There is no single crypto-specific retention period worldwide. In the United States, ordinary return-supporting records are generally kept for three years, with important exceptions—and basis records may need to be retained until after a later taxable sale. In Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says to keep crypto-asset records for at least six years from the end of the last related tax year.
The periods below describe U.S. federal and Canadian guidance only. Other countries, and U.S. state or Canadian provincial rules, may differ.
What crypto tax records should you keep?
Keep enough evidence to substantiate each tax position on your return and to explain how you calculated income, proceeds, basis, and gain or loss. IRS guidance specifically identifies records of digital-asset receipts, purchases, sales, exchanges, other dispositions, transfers, and fair market values for assets received as income or business payment. The IRS’s digital-asset transaction FAQ also describes information used to substantiate particular units, including acquisition and disposition dates and times, basis and fair market value at acquisition, fair market value at disposition, and money or property received.
Acquisitions and receipts
- Date and time, asset type, and quantity.
- How you acquired or received it, such as a purchase, income payment, reward, or transfer.
- Acquisition cost or fair market value in the relevant currency, plus applicable fees.
- Supporting exchange statements, wallet records, invoices, receipts, or ledger entries.
Sales, exchanges, payments, and other dispositions
- Date and time, asset type, and quantity disposed of.
- Proceeds or value of money or property received, and the fair market value used for reporting.
- Applicable fees and the method and records used to determine the disposed units’ basis.
- Trade confirmations, platform statements, wallet records, or on-chain transaction references that support the reported figures.
Income and transfers
For rewards, mining, staking, or payment for services, preserve the event details and the dollar valuation used for reporting. Keep transfer records too, including information that helps establish ownership and explain movements between wallets. A transfer between wallets you own may not itself be a taxable disposition, but its paper trail can help show what happened to the assets and support a later tax calculation. A platform export alone may not explain every movement or establish the full tax history.
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Returns and supporting files
Preserve filed returns and the records supporting the figures on them. A practical approach is to retain original platform statements and exports, wallet histories, transaction references, invoices, receipts, and valuation records together with your calculations. These are evidence categories, not a claim that every listed document is required for every transaction; the tax treatment depends on the event and applicable jurisdiction.
How long should you keep crypto tax records in the United States?
For U.S. federal taxes, the familiar three-year period is a general assessment limitation period, not a rule to delete crypto records three years after buying an asset. The IRS says ordinary records supporting income, deductions, or credits generally should be kept until the applicable limitations period for the return expires.
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General return records: usually three years, with exceptions
Under the IRS’s Tax Topic 305, the assessment period is generally three years from filing. It is six years for certain omissions exceeding 25% of gross income or certain omissions of foreign financial asset income above $5,000. There is no limitation period when a fraudulent return is filed or no valid return is filed. These are federal rules; the facts of a particular return can affect the applicable period.
Keep basis records through the year of taxable disposition
The IRS separately says: “Keep records relating to property until the period of limitations expires for the year in which you dispose of the property in a taxable disposition.” The acquisition record establishes basis, which may be needed to calculate gain or loss when you dispose of the asset later. If you still hold the asset, its basis records may remain relevant; do not use the purchase year alone to decide when to discard them. The applicable limitations period for the disposition-year return depends on the circumstances described above.
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The CRA says to keep crypto-asset books and records for at least six years from the end of the last taxation year to which they relate. This clock is anchored to the end of the related tax year, rather than stated as a general period from the date of purchase. The CRA’s cryptocurrency guide recommends regularly exporting activity histories from custodial platforms. That helps preserve records if a platform closes, stops serving Canada, or you lose account access.
U.S. and Canadian retention rules compared
| Jurisdiction and authority | How the period is anchored | Important conditions |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Internal Revenue Service (federal) | Generally three years from filing for assessment; property basis records are kept until the limitations period expires for the year of taxable disposition. | Six years for certain substantial income omissions; no limit for a fraudulent return or failure to file a valid return. |
| Canada, Canada Revenue Agency | At least six years from the end of the last taxation year to which the records relate. | The CRA recommends regular exports of custodial platform activity histories. |
The periods are not interchangeable: the IRS guidance connects ordinary records to a return and basis records to a later disposition, while the CRA states a minimum counted from the end of the last related tax year.
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How to organize records so they remain useful
- Export platform histories regularly. Save transaction files and statements from each exchange or custodial service rather than relying on continued account access.
- Preserve wallet and transaction evidence. Keep wallet exports and on-chain references that help connect acquisitions, transfers, and dispositions.
- Keep valuations and calculations with source records. Note the value and currency used for income events and disposals, along with fees and the basis method and records used.
- Retain the return and its supporting trail. Store filed returns with the records that substantiate their reported amounts, following the retention period that applies to your jurisdiction and circumstances.
For countries other than the United States and Canada, consult the applicable tax authority. Business records, amended returns, missing or fraudulent returns, and state or provincial requirements may also affect how long records should be retained. Tax rules can change; check current guidance for the tax year involved.
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