Does the wash-sale rule apply to cryptocurrency?

As of 2026, the wash-sale rule technically applies to 'securities,' and the IRS has historically treated cryptocurrency as property rather than a security, so many traders have harvested crypto losses and rebought immediately without the 30-day wait. However, Congress has repeatedly proposed closing this gap, and the rules can change, so don't assume it will last. If you rely on this treatment, document your transactions carefully and watch for legislative updates, because a retroactive or forward-looking change would reclassify those trades. This is a genuinely gray, fast-moving area; confirm current law with a tax professional before harvesting crypto losses, since penalties for getting it wrong fall on you, not your exchange.