Grayscale Bitcoin Trust BTC 2019 Tax Information - Final
Grayscale Bitcoin Trust BTC 2019 Tax Information - Final
Grayscale Bitcoin Trust BTC 2019 Tax Information - Final
The following information is being provided to assist Shareholders of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (BTC)
(the “Trust”) with reporting of their taxable income and expenses for the period January 1, 2019 through
December 31, 2019
The Trust holds only bitcoin and, accordingly, received no income during the year.
The Trust paid expenses periodically, as shown in the attached 2019 Gross Proceeds File. These
expenses are allocated into monthly periods as shown in the 2019 Expense File. An example illustrating
the computation of a Shareholder's share of expenses is provided.
Because the Trust paid out only a de minimis amount of bitcoin for payment of Trust expenses during
the year and made no distributions of sale proceeds to its Shareholders, under Treas. Reg. Sec. 1.671-
5(c)(2)(iv)(B) neither the Trust nor brokers are required to report the gross proceeds of Trust sales to
Shareholders on Form 1099B. In lieu of Form 1099B, this information is contained in the attached 2019
Gross Proceeds File together with an example illustrating how a Shareholder should calculate gain or
loss.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Expense File – Summary of allocated monthly Trust expenses per share in USD (page 2)
Gross Proceeds File – Summary of daily value per share (in bitcoin), amount of bitcoin paid to cover
trust expenses (in bitcoin), and per share proceeds from bitcoin paid to cover trust expenses (in USD) -
(pages 3 -14)
Pro-Rated Shares – All income and expenses are distributed pro rata based on the actual number of
days in the calendar month (see example on page 2)
1
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 EXPENSE FILE
Summary of Expenses by Month (Details on pages 3-14)
2
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
1/1/2019 0.00098890
1/2/2019 0.00098885
1/3/2019 0.00098879
1/4/2019 0.00098874
1/5/2019 0.00098868
1/6/2019 0.00098863
1/7/2019 0.00098857
1/8/2019 0.00098852
1/9/2019 0.00098847
1/10/2019 0.00098841
1/11/2019 0.00098836
1/12/2019 0.00098830
1/13/2019 0.00098825
1/14/2019 0.00098820
1/15/2019 0.00098814
1/16/2019 0.00098809
1/17/2019 0.00098803
1/18/2019 0.00098798
1/19/2019 0.00098792
1/20/2019 0.00098787
1/21/2019 0.00098782
1/22/2019 0.00098776
1/23/2019 0.00098771
1/24/2019 0.00098765
1/25/2019 0.00098760
1/26/2019 0.00098755
1/27/2019 0.00098749
1/28/2019 0.00098744
1/29/2019 0.00098738
1/30/2019 0.00098733
1/31/2019 0.00098728 0.00000167 0.00570860
3
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
2/1/2019 0.00098722
2/2/2019 0.00098717
2/3/2019 0.00098711
2/4/2019 0.00098706
2/5/2019 0.00098700
2/6/2019 0.00098695
2/7/2019 0.00098690
2/8/2019 0.00098684
2/9/2019 0.00098679
2/10/2019 0.00098673
2/11/2019 0.00098668
2/12/2019 0.00098663
2/13/2019 0.00098657
2/14/2019 0.00098652
2/15/2019 0.00098646
2/16/2019 0.00098641
2/17/2019 0.00098636
2/18/2019 0.00098630
2/19/2019 0.00098625
2/20/2019 0.00098619
2/21/2019 0.00098614
2/22/2019 0.00098609
2/23/2019 0.00098603
2/24/2019 0.00098598
2/25/2019 0.00098592
2/26/2019 0.00098587
2/27/2019 0.00098582
2/28/2019 0.00098576 0.00000149 0.00566605
4
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
3/1/2019 0.00098571
3/2/2019 0.00098565
3/3/2019 0.00098560
3/4/2019 0.00098555
3/5/2019 0.00098549
3/6/2019 0.00098544
3/7/2019 0.00098538
3/8/2019 0.00098533
3/9/2019 0.00098528
3/10/2019 0.00098522
3/11/2019 0.00098517
3/12/2019 0.00098511
3/13/2019 0.00098506
3/14/2019 0.00098501
3/15/2019 0.00098495
3/16/2019 0.00098490
3/17/2019 0.00098484
3/18/2019 0.00098479
3/19/2019 0.00098474
3/20/2019 0.00098468
3/21/2019 0.00098463
3/22/2019 0.00098457
3/23/2019 0.00098452
3/24/2019 0.00098447
3/25/2019 0.00098441
3/26/2019 0.00098436
3/27/2019 0.00098430
3/28/2019 0.00098425
3/29/2019 0.00098420
3/30/2019 0.00098414
3/31/2019 0.00098409 0.00000166 0.00679804
5
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
4/1/2019 0.00098403
4/2/2019 0.00098398
4/3/2019 0.00098393
4/4/2019 0.00098387
4/5/2019 0.00098382
4/6/2019 0.00098376
4/7/2019 0.00098371
4/8/2019 0.00098366
4/9/2019 0.00098360
4/10/2019 0.00098355
4/11/2019 0.00098350
4/12/2019 0.00098344
4/13/2019 0.00098339
4/14/2019 0.00098333
4/15/2019 0.00098328
4/16/2019 0.00098323
4/17/2019 0.00098317
4/18/2019 0.00098312
4/19/2019 0.00098306
4/20/2019 0.00098301
4/21/2019 0.00098296
4/22/2019 0.00098290
4/23/2019 0.00098285
4/24/2019 0.00098280
4/25/2019 0.00098274
4/26/2019 0.00098269
4/27/2019 0.00098263
4/28/2019 0.00098258
4/29/2019 0.00098253
4/30/2019 0.00098247 0.00000157 0.00822012
6
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
5/1/2019 0.00098242
5/2/2019 0.00098236
5/3/2019 0.00098231
5/4/2019 0.00098226
5/5/2019 0.00098220
5/6/2019 0.00098215
5/7/2019 0.00098210
5/8/2019 0.00098204
5/9/2019 0.00098199
5/10/2019 0.00098193
5/11/2019 0.00098188
5/12/2019 0.00098183
5/13/2019 0.00098177
5/14/2019 0.00098172
5/15/2019 0.00098166
5/16/2019 0.00098161
5/17/2019 0.00098156
5/18/2019 0.00098150
5/19/2019 0.00098145
5/20/2019 0.00098140
5/21/2019 0.00098134
5/22/2019 0.00098129
5/23/2019 0.00098123
5/24/2019 0.00098118
5/25/2019 0.00098113
5/26/2019 0.00098107
5/27/2019 0.00098102
5/28/2019 0.00098097
5/29/2019 0.00098091
5/30/2019 0.00098086
5/31/2019 0.00098080 0.00000167 0.01408130
7
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
6/1/2019 0.00098075
6/2/2019 0.00098070
6/3/2019 0.00098064
6/4/2019 0.00098059
6/5/2019 0.00098054
6/6/2019 0.00098048
6/7/2019 0.00098043
6/8/2019 0.00098037
6/9/2019 0.00098032
6/10/2019 0.00098027
6/11/2019 0.00098021
6/12/2019 0.00098016
6/13/2019 0.00098011
6/14/2019 0.00098005
6/15/2019 0.00098000
6/16/2019 0.00097994
6/17/2019 0.00097989
6/18/2019 0.00097984
6/19/2019 0.00097978
6/20/2019 0.00097973
6/21/2019 0.00097968
6/22/2019 0.00097962
6/23/2019 0.00097957
6/24/2019 0.00097952
6/25/2019 0.00097946
6/26/2019 0.00097941
6/27/2019 0.00097935
6/28/2019 0.00097930
6/29/2019 0.00097925
6/30/2019 0.00097919 0.00000161 0.01810391
8
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
7/1/2019 0.00097914
7/2/2019 0.00097909
7/3/2019 0.00097903
7/4/2019 0.00097898
7/5/2019 0.00097893
7/6/2019 0.00097887
7/7/2019 0.00097882
7/8/2019 0.00097876
7/9/2019 0.00097871
7/10/2019 0.00097866
7/11/2019 0.00097860
7/12/2019 0.00097855
7/13/2019 0.00097850
7/14/2019 0.00097844
7/15/2019 0.00097839
7/16/2019 0.00097834
7/17/2019 0.00097828
7/18/2019 0.00097823
7/19/2019 0.00097817
7/20/2019 0.00097812
7/21/2019 0.00097807
7/22/2019 0.00097801
7/23/2019 0.00097796
7/24/2019 0.00097791
7/25/2019 0.00097785
7/26/2019 0.00097780
7/27/2019 0.00097775
7/28/2019 0.00097769
7/29/2019 0.00097764
7/30/2019 0.00097759
7/31/2019 0.00097753
9
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
10
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
9/1/2019 0.00097582
9/2/2019 0.00097577
9/3/2019 0.00097571
9/4/2019 0.00097566
9/5/2019 0.00097561
9/6/2019 0.00097555
9/7/2019 0.00097550
9/8/2019 0.00097544
9/9/2019 0.00097539
9/10/2019 0.00097534
9/11/2019 0.00097528
9/12/2019 0.00097523
9/13/2019 0.00097518
9/14/2019 0.00097512
9/15/2019 0.00097507
9/16/2019 0.00097502
9/17/2019 0.00097496
9/18/2019 0.00097491
9/19/2019 0.00097486
9/20/2019 0.00097480
9/21/2019 0.00097475
9/22/2019 0.00097470
9/23/2019 0.00097464
9/24/2019 0.00097459
9/25/2019 0.00097454
9/26/2019 0.00097448
9/27/2019 0.00097443
9/28/2019 0.00097438
9/29/2019 0.00097432
9/30/2019 0.00097427 0.00000160 0.01327796
11
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
10/1/2019 0.00097422
10/2/2019 0.00097416
10/3/2019 0.00097411
10/4/2019 0.00097406
10/5/2019 0.00097400
10/6/2019 0.00097395
10/7/2019 0.00097390
10/8/2019 0.00097384
10/9/2019 0.00097379
10/10/2019 0.00097374
10/11/2019 0.00097368 0.00000048 0.00401097
10/12/2019 0.00097363
10/13/2019 0.00097358
10/14/2019 0.00097352
10/15/2019 0.00097347
10/16/2019 0.00097342
10/17/2019 0.00097336 0.00000032 0.00257076
10/18/2019 0.00097331
10/19/2019 0.00097326
10/20/2019 0.00097320
10/21/2019 0.00097315
10/22/2019 0.00097310
10/23/2019 0.00097304 0.00000036 0.00272382
10/24/2019 0.00097299
10/25/2019 0.00097294
10/26/2019 0.00097288
10/27/2019 0.00097283
10/28/2019 0.00097278
10/29/2019 0.00097272
10/30/2019 0.00097267
10/31/2019 0.00097262 0.00000048 0.00443314
12
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
11/1/2019 0.00097256
11/2/2019 0.00097251
11/3/2019 0.00097246
11/4/2019 0.00097240
11/5/2019 0.00097235
11/6/2019 0.00097230
11/7/2019 0.00097224
11/8/2019 0.00097219
11/9/2019 0.00097214
11/10/2019 0.00097208
11/11/2019 0.00097203
11/12/2019 0.00097198
11/13/2019 0.00097192 0.00000059 0.00512521
11/14/2019 0.00097187
11/15/2019 0.00097182
11/16/2019 0.00097176
11/17/2019 0.00097171
11/18/2019 0.00097166
11/19/2019 0.00097160
11/20/2019 0.00097155 0.00000043 0.00344416
11/21/2019 0.00097150
11/22/2019 0.00097144
11/23/2019 0.00097139
11/24/2019 0.00097134
11/25/2019 0.00097128
11/26/2019 0.00097123 0.00000032 0.00227201
11/27/2019 0.00097118
11/28/2019 0.00097112
11/29/2019 0.00097107
11/30/2019 0.00097102
13
GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST (BTC) 2019 GROSS PROCEEDS FILE
12/1/2019 0.00097096
12/2/2019 0.00097091 0.00000027 0.00194139
12/3/2019 0.00097086
12/4/2019 0.00097081
12/5/2019 0.00097075
12/6/2019 0.00097070
12/7/2019 0.00097065
12/8/2019 0.00097059
12/9/2019 0.00097054
12/10/2019 0.00097049 0.00000053 0.00383387
12/11/2019 0.00097043
12/12/2019 0.00097038
12/13/2019 0.00097033
12/14/2019 0.00097027
12/15/2019 0.00097022
12/16/2019 0.00097017
12/17/2019 0.00097011
12/18/2019 0.00097006 0.00000037 0.00264995
12/19/2019 0.00097001
12/20/2019 0.00096995
12/21/2019 0.00096990
12/22/2019 0.00096985
12/23/2019 0.00096979 0.00000027 0.00196526
12/24/2019 0.00096974
12/25/2019 0.00096969
12/26/2019 0.00096964
12/27/2019 0.00096958
12/28/2019 0.00096953
12/29/2019 0.00096948
12/30/2019 0.00096942
12/31/2019 0.00096937 0.00000048 0.00341657
14
Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (BTC) Gross Proceeds and Expense Files show bitcoin per share owned in
the Trust, as well as bitcoin paid out, proceeds, and expenses per share in the Trust. You can use
this information to calculate your share of Trust expenses, and your gain or loss on sale of bitcoin
to pay such expenses.
The Trust holds no assets other than bitcoin. Accordingly, when expenses are incurred, Trust assets
(i.e., bitcoin) are sold to cover the expenses. The following example illustrates the tax consequences
to the Shareholder. In Step 1 we discuss how a Shareholder would determine his or her stake in the
Trust (i.e., how much bitcoin they own). In Step 2 we discuss how much of his or her stake is sold
throughout the year to cover expenses (and how much bitcoin they still own). In Step 3 we determine
the Shareholder’s basis in the bitcoin(s) sold by the Trust. Gain or loss from this sale is determined
in relation to the basis of the assets sold. In Step 4 we determine the gain or loss from the sale of the
assets and where the gain or loss is reported on the Shareholder’s tax return. In Step 5 we calculate
the Shareholder’s portion of the Trust’s expenses. In Step 6 we determine the Shareholder’s new
balance of bitcoin at the end of the year and his or her new cost basis in the bitcoin.
The following example is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be construed as tax
advice. Shareholders should consult a tax professional in the use of their information on their
respective tax returns.
Example: Shareholder XYZ purchases 20,000 Trust shares on 2/10/2019 at a price of $3.44 per share
for a total purchase price of $68,800. Shareholder XYZ had no other purchases or sales of Trust
shares during 2019 and held the shares for the remainder of 2019.
Locate the Bitcoin Per Share amount on Shareholder XYZ’s purchase date of 2/10/2019 in
the gross proceeds file. In this example the number is 0.00098673. This represents the
number of bitcoin per share on that date.
For Shareholder XYZ, the total amount of bitcoin owned for its 2/10/2019 purchase is
19.73460000 (0.00098673 per share multiplied by 20,000 shares purchased on
2/10/2019). Note: This step should be completed for each date on which Trust shares were
purchased.
Step 2: Calculate the bitcoin paid out from Shareholder XYZ’s account during 2019 to pay
expenses
The bitcoin paid out per share during 2019 includes the cumulative amounts of all bitcoin
payouts for the period which includes the day after the purchase date of 2/10/2019 through
the day before payout date.
During 2019 the amount of bitcoin paid out after the 2/10/2019 purchase date is
0.00001724 per share. This is determined by taking the total amount of bitcoin per share
paid out in 2019 (0.00001944) and subtracting the amount of bitcoin paid out prior to the
purchase (0.00000167 from January plus (10/28 multiplied by 0.00000149 from
February)). Then multiply this number (0.00001724) by the number of shares owned
(20,000) for a total of 0.34475714 bitcoin paid to cover trust expenses.
15
Step 3: Calculate Shareholder’s cost basis in bitcoin paid out from Shareholder’s account
Step 4: Calculate Shareholder’s gain or loss on bitcoin payout for each lot purchased
Identify all proceeds per share received by the Trust after Shareholder XYZ’s 2/10/2019
purchase date. During 2019, periodic payouts for the period 2/11/2019 through
12/31/2019 generated proceeds per share of $0.13511459 (total proceeds of payout of
bitcoin for the year, 0.14284678, less 0.00773219, which is the proceeds of payouts
made prior to purchase [0.00570860 from January] plus 0.00202359 from the first ten
days in February). Therefore, Shareholder XYZ’s gain or loss is determined as follows:
Identify all expenses per share paid by the Trust after Shareholder XYZ’s 2/10/2019
purchase date. During 2019, the expenses were paid throughout the year and for the
period of 2/11/2019 through 12/31/2019 amounted to $0.13511459 per share. Therefore,
Shareholder XYZ’s expenses are as follows:
16
Shareholder’s adjusted bitcoin and adjusted cost calculated in Step 6 are his/her adjusted bitcoin and
adjusted basis for the 2/10/2019 purchase at the end of 12/31/2019.
Shareholders with several purchases should calculate gain, loss and adjusted basis separately for each
purchased lot and then sum up the results of each lot to arrive at the net reportable gain or loss and the
total investment expenses. Shareholders, who purchased their shares prior to 2019, and made no other
purchases, should calculate their adjusted cost basis using the gross proceeds information for the relevant
years by following the same steps as in the example above. The adjusted cost basis at 12/31/2018 should
be used as the beginning cost for 2019 instead of the original purchase cost. Shareholders with an additional
purchase in 2019 will have two cost lots to account for in 2019. The calculation of gains and losses will be
affected by the cost basis method used to account for the sales.
17