According to the source, Bitcoin advocates are pressing U.S. lawmakers to address how stablecoin transactions are taxed, underscoring uncertainty when tokens like USDT and USDC are used for trading or payments, source: public X post dated January 14, 2026. Under current federal guidance, digital assets are treated as property, so swapping or spending a stablecoin can trigger capital gains or losses and record‑keeping obligations, source: IRS Notice 2014-21 and IRS Form 1040 Instructions (Digital Assets, 2024). Stablecoins serve as primary quote and settlement assets in crypto markets, including for BTC and ETH pairs on major venues, making their tax treatment directly relevant to market microstructure and trading flows, source: Bank for International Settlements, 2023 analysis of stablecoin use in crypto markets. Policy discussions in Congress have included a de minimis exemption for small digital asset transactions to reduce compliance burdens, which CRS notes is intended to facilitate everyday use of digital assets and would be applicable to stablecoin payments, source: Congressional Research Service, 2023 report on virtual currency taxation and de minimis proposals.