An airdropped token is ordinary income at fair market value — but only once you actually have the ability to sell, exchange, or transfer it.
How it works
Tokens received times fair market value gives potential ordinary income, but only recognized this year if you’ve established dominion and control over the tokens — if your wallet or exchange doesn’t support the token yet, no income is recognized until it does.
What this does not include
This does not include the cost basis carried forward for a later sale (equal to the ordinary income recognized), or self-employment tax considerations if the airdrop is connected to a trade or business rather than passive receipt.
How to use this calculator
- Enter tokens received, fair market value per token, your marginal tax rate, and whether you have dominion and control.
Frequently asked questions
How is an airdrop different from a hard fork for tax purposes?
A hard fork alone (without receiving any new tokens) doesn’t create income; it’s specifically receiving new tokens — whether from an airdrop or after a hard fork — that triggers ordinary income.
What if the token has no market value yet?
If there’s no established market, determining fair market value can be genuinely difficult — some taxpayers treat it as $0 income until a market develops, though this is a gray area best discussed with a tax professional.
Does it matter if I never asked for the airdrop?
No — the IRS guidance doesn’t distinguish between solicited and unsolicited airdrops; the same dominion-and-control test applies either way.
