# Dogecoin Falls 59.1% in a Year, Putting U.S. Tax Records in Focus

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/35936
Published: 2026-10-20T20:16:16.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-20T20:16:16.000Z
Section: Regulation

> At about 4:09 p.m. ET on Oct. 20 (20:09 UTC), DOGE traded near $0.08139; Bitcoin (BTC) was down 25.6% over the same 12 months.

Dogecoin (DOGE) fell 59.1% over 12 months in an Oct. 20 snapshot, putting U.S. investors’ purchase histories in focus as they assess the tax treatment of any realized gain or loss.

At about 4:09 p.m. ET on Oct. 20 (20:09 UTC), DOGE traded near $0.08139. Its market value was about $12.73 billion, placing it 12th among cryptocurrencies in that snapshot. Bitcoin (BTC) had fallen 25.6% over the same period.

That market decline does not establish the result for an individual investor. A gain or loss depends on the proceeds received for the units disposed of and the adjusted basis of those units. A price decline on coins that have not been disposed of is an unrealized loss.

For DOGE held as an investment, any capital gain or loss on units held one year or less is short term. Any capital gain or loss on units held more than one year is long term. A sale can also produce no gain or loss, and crossing the one-year mark does not erase an otherwise recognizable capital loss.

Purchase dates establish the holding period, while proceeds and adjusted basis determine the dollar result. Someone who acquired DOGE in multiple transactions may have a different acquisition date and basis for each batch. The units treated as disposed of therefore affect both the calculation and the classification.

Transaction records establish acquisition dates, units and costs. Form 1099-DA may list proceeds without the asset’s basis, leaving holders to use their records for that part of the calculation. The market snapshot alone cannot show whether a particular holder has a gain, a deductible loss or no realized result.

The deduction rules depend on how DOGE was held. Losses on personal-use property are not deductible. For DOGE held for investment, deductible capital losses can offset capital gains.

If deductible net capital losses exceed gains, up to $3,000 of the excess may reduce other income for the year, or $1,500 for married taxpayers filing separately. Any remaining excess can carry forward to later years.