The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has no plans to create a voluntary disclosure program for virtual currency similar to what has previously been offered for undisclosed foreign assets, an agency official recently said in a speech at a tax symposium.

In 2014, the IRS stated that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin that could be converted to traditional currencies are considered property for the purposes of taxation. Thus, a person may experience a gain or a loss when selling or exchanging cryptocurrency based on the value of the cryptocurrency at the time of the exchange. 

Because cryptocurrencies are classified as property, general taxation rules of property will apply. The sale of cryptocurrencies, the use of them to purchase goods or services, or retaining the cryptocurrencies for investment purposes generally have tax consequences, which may mean taxes will be owed.

Bitcoin, a digital currency, has gained popularity and utility in the last few years. Released in 2009, Bitcoin has been lauded as a superior currency accepted throughout the world and able to be transferred more efficiently than traditional denominations.

Bitcoin and other digital currencies like Ethereum are based on a technology called the blockchain. The blockchain is a digital ledger that keeps track of economic transactions. The blockchain has recorded every Bitcoin transaction that has ever occurred, for example.

The blockchain is considered incorruptible because it is publicly available and not stored in a central location. Instead, copies of the ledger are constantly being updated and reconciled on millions of computers across the world. Without this technology, cryptocurrencies would not maintain their integrity.