Why I Believe the U.S. Must Stop Double Taxing Bitcoin Miners

As someone deeply involved in the crypto space, I’ve always admired the innovation and resilience of the Bitcoin mining community. But one thing that continues to frustrate me is how unfairly the U.S. tax system treats miners and stakers. Right now, they’re being taxed twice—first when they earn crypto rewards, and again when they later sell those rewards. No other industry faces this kind of double burden for helping secure digital infrastructure.

To me, it just doesn’t make sense. When you mine Bitcoin or stake a token, you’re not earning cash—you’re receiving a digital asset that may not even be liquid right away. Taxing that reward as income before it’s used or converted puts miners at a real disadvantage, especially when compared to traditional investors who are only taxed when they actually sell for a profit.

I fully support efforts in Congress to change this. Lawmakers are finally starting to understand that miners and developers aren’t “brokers” and shouldn’t be treated as such under existing regulations. It’s encouraging to see proposals to remove those reporting requirements and to introduce sensible exemptions for small transactions. These changes could make crypto use much more practical in everyday life.

What worries me most is that other countries are already ahead. Places like Switzerland and Portugal offer crypto-friendly environments that attract miners, developers, and businesses. If the U.S. doesn’t act soon, we risk losing both talent and leadership in this space to more forward-thinking nations.

We have a chance to fix this now—and we should. Ending the double taxation of miners and stakers isn’t about giving crypto a free pass. It’s about fairness, growth, and keeping innovation alive here at home.