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Tax Forms, 1099-MISC, IRS Reporting, and Tax Documentation Requests

Tax Forms, 1099-MISC, IRS Reporting, and Tax Documentation Requests

Problem

Customers contact BitGo support requesting tax-related documents including IRS Form 1099-MISC for staking income, W-9/W-8 forms, transaction reports for tax filing, wallet balance confirmations for year-end tax declarations, and general guidance on whether BitGo issues tax forms. These requests span custody clients, FTX creditors, and self-service wallet users. Common confusion points include where to find reports in the UI, whether BitGo generates 1099 forms, how staking rewards are treated for tax purposes, and how to access password-protected tax documents.

Diagnostics

  • Confirm the customer's enterprise type: custody client (BitGo Trust/Bank & Trust), FTX creditor, or self-service wallet user — each has different tax-form eligibility.
  • Check whether the customer has claimed (unstaked) staking rewards during the tax year in question. BitGo's definition of taxable staking income is based on "dominion and control" — rewards become reportable when they are unstaked/claimed, not when they accrue on-chain.
  • For 1099-MISC eligibility, verify whether total claimed rewards exceed the $600 IRS threshold for the tax year. If below $600, no 1099-MISC is issued.
  • Check which UI view the customer is using. The Reports section is only visible in classic view — customers on the newer UI may not see the Reports tab.
  • For FTX creditors, confirm whether the customer is US-based or non-US. US creditors receive 1099-MISC (mailed to address on file); non-US creditors need W-8BEN forms.
  • For balance confirmation requests, identify the wallet ID, coin (e.g., CSPR, SOL), and the specific date for which the confirmation is needed. Check whether staking/delegation may cause data display issues (e.g., negative balances).
  • For 1099-MISC reissuance/correction requests, check whether the form has already been filed with the IRS or is still under a filing extension.

Resolution

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#1099-misc-staking-rewards

Trigger: Customer asks whether BitGo issues a 1099-MISC for staking income earned on the platform.

Signals: 1099-MISC, staking income, staking rewards, tax form, IRS, 1099, Box 3, Other Income

Steps:

  1. Confirm the customer is a BitGo Trust / BitGo Bank & Trust custody client with staking activity.
  2. Verify whether the customer unstaked (claimed) rewards during the tax year. BitGo only reports staking income when rewards are claimed — i.e., when the customer has "dominion and control" over the tokens. Accrued but unclaimed rewards are not reported.
  3. Check if total claimed rewards exceed the $600 IRS threshold. If below $600, no 1099-MISC is issued per IRS guidance.
  4. If a 1099-MISC was issued, it is mailed to the address on file and also available as a password-protected attachment (protected with the last 4 digits of the customer's SSN). The form can also be emailed by the Trust team upon request.
  5. If the customer needs clarification on what is in Box 3 (Other Income), escalate to the internal Product Ops / Trust team to provide a breakdown of the underlying asset quantities and values.
  6. If the customer requests a re-issuance using a different calculation method (e.g., "claimed rewards approach" vs. "accrued dominion & control approach"), escalate to the Trust team (Jon Heiberger / Senior Trust Officer) to regenerate the form. The updated form will be sent as a password-protected attachment (last 4 digits of SSN).
  7. If forms have not yet been filed with the IRS (e.g., under a filing extension), the corrected version will be the one submitted. If already filed, a corrected form with the "Corrected" box checked will be issued.

Notes: BitGo's position is that staking rewards are taxable at the point of "dominion and control" — when the customer unstakes and claims rewards. This differs from some other platforms (e.g., Coinbase) that may report accrued rewards. BitGo does not speak to other platforms' approaches. Forms are issued in early 2026 for the 2025 Tax Year. Tax documents can only be emailed to US residents.

"Our team's definition of 'dominion and control' is when the rewards are unstaked and therefore claimed. At the moment your team unstakes and actually claims the rewards, this is what we are counting towards their taxable income." (ticket #245546)

"Please note that we did not issue 1099-Misc for staking rewards since total rewards earned by [entity] for the year 2023 were less than $600." (ticket #317571)

"Thanks for reaching out. I'm attaching a copy of your updated Form 1099-MISC, calculated using the claimed rewards approach. It's password-protected with the last four digits of your SSN." (ticket #357738)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#transaction-reports-for-tax-filing

Trigger: Customer asks how to download transaction reports or statements from BitGo for tax filing purposes.

Signals: tax report, transaction report, CSV, API, reports tab, accounting software, tax statement, custodial statements

Steps:

  1. Direct the customer to the Reports section in the BitGo UI. This is accessible via the "9-dot" grid icon (App Launcher) next to the bell icon in the top right corner.
  2. If the customer cannot see the Reports tab, instruct them to switch to classic view first. The toggle is in the upper area of the UI.
  3. Under Reports, the customer can navigate to Statements → Custodial Statements to download quarterly statements.
  4. For transaction-level reports, the customer can generate reports for a specified date range under the Reports section.
  5. Note: The Tax and Accounting tab under Settings shows accounting configuration options but does not generate reports.
  6. If the customer needs programmatic access for tax accountants, they can create a read-only API Access Key from: Profile icon → Settings → Developer Options tab. The key will have equal to or fewer permissions than the token creator's, and will need the public IP of the connecting party.
  7. For staking reward reports specifically, these are not currently available in the UI. The customer can use the API endpoints or request a report from the internal Product Ops team:
    • https://developers.bitgo.com/api/Retrieve%20Staking%20Reward%20History
    • https://developers.bitgo.com/api/v1.enterprise.stakingWallets.list

Notes: The article at https://bitgo.my.site.com/ResourceCenter/s/article/All-About-Reports may show outdated UI screenshots. Customers on the new UI must switch to classic view to access the Reports section. SOL staking reward reports have historically had discrepancy issues that engineering has worked to fix; if a customer reports unusual numbers, escalate for a corrected report.

"Please switch to classic view first and then follow the steps suggested." (ticket #215591)

"We do not have this in the UI currently. I can request an immediate report for you from our internal team. If you make use of our API, you can use the following endpoints to return this information: https://developers.bitgo.com/api/Retrieve%20Staking%20Reward%20History https://developers.bitgo.com/api/v1.enterprise.stakingWallets.list" (ticket #231494)

"Are you referring to the Tax and Accounting tab under Settings? This page shows the Accounting settings we used but do not actually generate any report." (ticket #225944)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#balance-confirmation-for-tax-declaration

Trigger: Customer requests a wallet balance confirmation letter as of a specific date (typically year-end) for tax declaration purposes.

Signals: balance confirmation, wallet balance, year-end balance, tax declaration, 31 December, CSPR, delegated balance

Steps:

  1. Collect the following from the customer: Wallet ID, coin/chain, and the exact date/timestamp for which the balance confirmation is needed.
  2. Escalate to the internal data team / Customer Success Manager to generate the Wallet Balance Confirmation letter.
  3. If the coin has staking/delegation activity (e.g., CSPR), confirm whether the customer needs both liquid and delegated balances included. Note that staked balances may cause data issues (e.g., showing negative balances) requiring engineering fixes.
  4. Once generated, the balance confirmation letter is sent to the customer via email.
  5. Note the customer's tax filing deadline and flag urgency accordingly.

Notes: CSPR has historically shown data issues when all balance was staked, displaying as negative. The data team may need extra time to fix these before providing accurate confirmations. Customers should specify they need "all Qualified Custodial Wallet Balances (liquid & delegated)" if applicable.

"We've run into some data issues with CSPR as you staked all your balance, so everything on our end is showing as negative balance. We're working on fixing it and will let you know as soon as our team's done." (ticket #110462)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#ftx-creditor-tax-forms

Trigger: FTX creditor asks about tax documents for their FTX distribution or cannot access tax forms after logging in.

Signals: FTX, creditor, distribution, tax form, W-8BEN, W-9, 1099, ftxcreditors@bitgo.com, FTX portal

Steps:

  1. For US-based FTX creditors: Forms 1099-MISC are issued in early 2026 for the 2025 Tax Year and mailed to the address on file. Tax documents can only be emailed to US residents.
  2. For non-US FTX creditors: They need to complete a W-8BEN form (or the appropriate W-8 series form based on entity type). The W-8 form is integrated into the FTX portal application process:
    • Go to the FTX portal/landing page
    • Sign up or log in using the correct email address
    • Complete the application, which includes the W-8BEN form
  3. W-8 forms must be updated within a 3-year window. If the form's signature date is older than 3 years, it will be expired and needs to be resubmitted.
  4. If the customer cannot access the portal or sees a re-onboarding screen after previously completing the process, have the primary contact log in to their BitGo account, switch to the correct enterprise from the top right corner, and re-invite the user.
  5. For entity name changes (e.g., re-domiciliation), the customer must send reformation/name-change documents to ftxcreditors@bitgo.com and support@bitgo.com for KYC review.
  6. Refer customers to the FTX FAQ: https://www.bitgo.com/ftx-faq

Notes: FTX creditors who did not sign BitGo's CSA before the cutoff date may miss a distribution round. The next distribution rounds are communicated by the Trust team. For tax-related compliance FAQs, also refer to: https://www.bitgo.com/resource-center/tax-reporting-and-compliance-faqs/

"Forms are issued in early 2026 for the 2025 Tax Year. Each applicable form will be mailed to the address on file." (ticket #322744)

"We are sorry that the tax documents could be emailed only to the residents of United states." (ticket #322744)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#w9-form-request

Trigger: Customer requests BitGo's W-9 form for their own records or tax filings.

Signals: W-9, W9, 1099, BitGo W-9, vendor form

Steps:

  1. Escalate to the internal AR/Billing team to provide BitGo Trust's W-9 form.
  2. The W-9 is provided as an attachment via the support ticket.

Notes: This is BitGo's own W-9 (as a vendor/custodian), not the customer's. Some customers request this to document the custodial relationship.

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#no-tax-forms-on-platform

Trigger: Customer asks where to find tax forms in the BitGo portal but is a non-custody / self-service wallet user with no 1099 eligibility.

Signals: tax forms, portal, no forms, self-service, where are tax forms

Steps:

  1. Inform the customer that there are no tax forms located on the platform for self-service wallet users.
  2. If the customer needs to report transaction information, direct them to the Reports section accessible from the 9-dot grid at the top of the screen, where they can download account transactions to inform their tax filings.
  3. For the 2025 tax year onward, BitGo has introduced a tax status verification flow. Customers who receive the "[Action Required] Please Verify Your Tax Status for Tax Year 2025" email should:
    • Log in to their BitGo account
    • Follow the "2025 Tax Season is here" instructions
    • Answer questions to certify their tax status (completing IRS W-9 or W-8 forms)
  4. For more information on crypto tax reporting, refer to: BitGo Enhances Tax Compliance with New IRS 1099-DA Reporting (linked in the tax season email).

Notes: BitGo does not provide gains/losses tax reports. The Tax and Accounting tab under Settings shows configuration options only and does not generate reports. Customers needing gains/losses calculations should use third-party tax software with exported transaction data.

"There are no tax forms located on our platform. If you need to report this information, you can access the reporting from the 9-dot grid at the top of the screen and download your account transactions to help inform these numbers." (ticket #30237)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#1099-misc-password-and-delivery

Trigger: Customer received or is requesting a 1099-MISC and needs help with the password or delivery method.

Signals: password-protected, 1099-MISC, last 4 digits, SSN, mailed, address on file

Steps:

  1. Confirm that the 1099-MISC is password-protected with the last 4 digits of the customer's SSN.
  2. The physical form is mailed to the address on file. If the customer has moved, they should update their address and request a re-send.
  3. A digital copy can be emailed by the Trust team upon request (US residents only).
  4. If the customer cannot open the PDF, verify they are using the correct last 4 SSN digits. BitGo support cannot provide the password — the customer must use their own SSN.

"You'll find your Form 1099-MISC attached, password-protected with the last 4 digits of your SSN. This physical form was also delivered to your address on file." (ticket #354468)

Scenario: tax-form-1099misc-irs#read-only-api-for-tax-accountants

Trigger: Customer asks for a read-only API key to give to their tax accountants.

Signals: API key, read-only, tax accountant, developer options, API Access Token

Steps:

  1. The customer can create a read-only API Access Key from within the UI:
    • Click the Profile icon in the upper right
    • Choose Settings
    • Select the Developer Options tab
    • Create the API Access Key with View only permissions
  2. The key will have equal to or fewer permissions than the token creator's account.
  3. The customer will need to provide the Public IP of the team/accountant who will use it.
  4. Additionally, point the customer to the BitGo developer portal for API documentation: https://developers.bitgo.com — they can filter by "reports" for relevant endpoints.

"You will want to choose the Profile icon in the upper right. Then choose settings. When the screen refreshes, choose the Developer Options tab. You can create the API Access Key there. The key will only have equal to or less permissions on wallets and the Enterprise as the token's creator and will need the Public IP of the team who will be using it to connect with. Choose the View only options should suffice for their needs." (ticket #246430)

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