Kraken Tax Forms 2026 – Complete Guide to Crypto Tax Reporting

Kraken has been around since 2011 – one of the few exchanges that actually survived the full crypto cycle. Tax reporting from Kraken is doable, but it requires a couple of steps most people miss. Here's exactly what to export and how to use it.

Does Kraken Send 1099 Forms?

Kraken issues 1099-MISC forms to US customers who earned over $600 in staking rewards or other income. Starting with the 2025 tax year, Kraken and other brokers are required to issue 1099-DA forms reporting crypto sales – though the implementation timeline is still evolving with ongoing IRS guidance.

One thing that doesn't change: even if Kraken doesn't send you a 1099 for a given year, you're still legally required to report all taxable transactions to the IRS. The 1099 is for the IRS's records, not a prerequisite for your obligation.

How to Export Your Kraken Transaction History

Log into your Kraken account and go to History → Export. Export your complete ledger as a CSV file. Use the full date range – don't just grab the current year if you've been on Kraken for years. Kraken provides separate exports for trades, ledger entries, and deposits/withdrawals, so you may need to download multiple files.

What Kraken Reports Are Available

• Trades export: All buy and sell orders with timestamp, trading pair, volume, price, and fees
• Ledger export: All deposits, withdrawals, staking rewards, and internal transfers
• Tax forms: If Kraken issues you a 1099, it appears under Account → Tax Forms

Calculating Cost Basis from Kraken Data

Kraken's CSV gives you the raw data. It doesn't calculate your cost basis for you. You still need to match buys to sells, choose your method (FIFO, HIFO, or Specific ID), and generate IRS-compliant Form 8949 from that data. Import the CSV into crypto tax software to automate this – doing it manually for hundreds of trades is asking for errors.

Kraken Staking Taxes

Kraken offers staking for ETH, DOT, ADA, and other assets. Staking rewards are taxable as ordinary income when received, at the USD fair market value on that day. Report them on Schedule 1 as "Other Income." That same value becomes your cost basis in those staking rewards for when you later sell them.

Kraken Futures and Margin Trading

If you use Kraken's futures or margin trading products (available to eligible US customers), the tax treatment is different from spot trading. Regulated futures contracts (Section 1256 contracts) get special "60/40" treatment: 60% long-term, 40% short-term regardless of how long you held. Get a tax professional involved for complex derivatives activity.

Kraken and the IRS

In 2023, the IRS obtained a court order requiring Kraken to hand over user data for accounts with over $20,000 in transactions between 2016 and 2020. That's not a hypothetical – that already happened. Exchanges share data when the IRS asks. Complete, accurate reporting isn't optional.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. For individual tax advice, consult a licensed tax professional.