Crypto P&L Calculator - Profit & Loss

How to use this tool

1. Enter purchase lots. Add each time you bought the cryptocurrency - the buy price and quantity for each purchase.
2. Set the current (sell) price. Enter the price at which you are selling or want to evaluate.
3. Choose a cost basis method. Select FIFO for an oldest-lot-first estimate. LIFO and Average Cost are educational what-if comparisons and are not U.S. IRS digital-asset identification methods.
4. Optionally add fee and sell quantity. Enter optional buy and sell fee percentages, the sale date, and the quantity sold. Buy fees increase basis; sell fees reduce proceeds.
5. Review your results. See total P&L, P&L percent, break-even price, and a per-lot breakdown.

Crypto P&L basics

This calculator estimates profit or loss for a spot sale of cryptocurrency bought in one or more lots. It uses the selected lot method to decide which quantity is sold, then compares the sale proceeds after the sell fee with the selected lots' cost basis after buy fees.

Net proceeds = Sell price × quantity − sell fee; cost basis = buy price × quantity + buy fee; P&L = net proceeds − cost basis.

For example, buying two coins at $100 each with a 1% buy fee gives a $202 basis. Selling them at $150 each with a 1% sell fee leaves $297 after the $3 fee, for an estimated $95 gain. A positive result is a gain and a negative result is a loss. The fee inputs are percentages; fixed charges and exchange-specific fee handling are not modeled.

Cost basis methods

When you buy the same asset multiple times at different prices, the lots selected for a sale affect its estimated basis. If every lot has a purchase date, FIFO and LIFO sort by date; when dates are incomplete, they use the entered row order. That fallback is convenient for scenarios, but does not prove which units were sold for tax purposes.

• FIFO (First In, First Out): oldest coins are sold first. If prices have risen over time, FIFO may select lower-cost lots. Current U.S. digital-asset rules generally use FIFO when units are not adequately identified, subject to wallet, account, and broker rules.
• LIFO (Last In, First Out): most recently purchased coins are sold first. This is a what-if comparison, not the IRS default for identifying digital assets.
• Average Cost: all purchases are blended into a single per-unit cost. Simple to compare across lots, but it is not a U.S. IRS digital-asset identification method.

U.S. digital-asset rules describe adequate specific identification when applicable, with a default FIFO rule when units are not adequately identified. This calculator does not implement specific identification or capture every account and recordkeeping requirement. Its FIFO, LIFO, and Average Cost outputs are planning comparisons, not tax-lot records.

Break-even price

The break-even price is the sale price at which the net proceeds equal the selected lots' basis. The calculator divides average basis per coin by one minus the sell-fee rate. Buy fees increase that basis; sell fees reduce proceeds. For example, a $100 basis with a 1% sell fee breaks even at about $101.01 per coin. This helps compare a planned exit price with the costs entered in the tool.

Tax considerations

In the United States, digital assets held as capital assets are generally subject to property tax rules. The holding period generally distinguishes short-term gain or loss (one year or less) from long-term gain or loss (more than one year); applicable rates and exceptions vary. The IRS counts the period from the day after acquisition through the disposition date. This tool uses calendar dates to estimate that distinction for simple purchased lots. It does not handle gifts, inheritance, transferred holding periods, or other special cases. See IRS Publication 544 for general holding-period guidance.

Tax reporting note

A sale or exchange of a digital asset held as a capital asset may create a gain or loss that must be reported in U.S. dollars; Form 8949 and Schedule D may apply depending on the transaction and filing situation. Staking rewards, airdrops, and other asset receipts can have separate income and basis treatment, and a later sale is a separate calculation. This tool models only a simple purchase and sale; it does not calculate receipt income or prepare a tax return. See the IRS's current digital asset FAQs for transaction-specific guidance.

Unrealized vs. realized gains

An unrealized gain is the increase in value of an asset you still hold - it exists on paper only. A realized gain occurs when you sell the asset and lock in the profit. For a typical capital asset, an unrealized price change is generally not recognized until a disposition. Tracking unrealized P&L can help you understand portfolio performance, but separate rules may apply to rewards, business activity, or other digital-asset transactions.

DCA scenario

Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) means buying fixed amounts of crypto at regular intervals. This creates multiple tax lots - separate purchase records with different costs and dates. When you sell, the estimate depends on which lot the selected method uses; U.S. tax identification requires appropriate records and may not match a LIFO or average-cost scenario. Over time, your average cost basis is the sum of all purchase amounts divided by total quantity held. DCA spreads purchase timing, but it does not remove price risk or reporting requirements. Keep purchase dates, quantities, and fees with your own records.