Crypto Accounting Example — beancount.io

A comprehensive Beancount ledger demonstrating every major cryptocurrency accounting scenario: purchases, trading, staking, mining, DeFi, NFTs, and tax planning.

Companion blog post: Complete Guide to Cryptocurrency Accounting with Beancount

Quick Start

bash
make install   # Install beancount + fava via uv
make check     # Verify the ledger has zero errors
make serve     # Open Fava at http://localhost:4739

File Guide

Key Concepts Demonstrated

• Cost basis tracking — every purchase creates a lot with date and price
• FIFO & specific lot identification — choosing which lot to dispose of
• Taxable dispositions — selling for fiat, crypto-to-crypto swaps, spending crypto
• Ordinary income — mining rewards, staking rewards, airdrops (all at FMV)
• DeFi receipt tokens — cUSDC, aETH, stETH, LP tokens as accounting proxies
• Gas fees — tracked as expenses, deducted from proceeds where appropriate
• Balance assertions — year-end reconciliation checks
• Short-term vs long-term — separate income accounts for tax reporting

Useful Commands

bash
make balances  # Show all account balances
make holdings  # Show holdings with market values
make income    # Show income statement
make check     # Verify ledger integrity