In the U.S., one of the biggest things holding bitcoin back as an everyday currency isn’t the technology — it’s the tax rules. Every time it’s spent, it triggers a taxable event.

But here’s the reality: almost no one is reporting small everyday purchases like a $5 coffee or a $12 beer. As CPA Jordan Guess explained on our podcast, the complexity and lack of tools make it nearly impossible for the average person to stay fully compliant right now — and lawmakers know it.

✂️ What Exactly Is a “De Minimis” Rule?

“De minimis,” Latin for “about minimal things,” refers to something so small it can be legally ignored.

Under a proposed change to U.S. tax policy, small bitcoin transactions would be tax-free. If the purchase amount falls under a certain dollar limit — currently proposed at $300 and possibly $600 — customers wouldn’t owe capital gains tax and wouldn’t have to report it.

Jordan put it this way:

“If a $200 de minimis rule passed, you could buy your coffee or a beer with bitcoin and there’d be no taxes and no reporting. That’s already how most people are behaving today — the rule would just bring the law in line with reality.”

This reporting burden has slowed adoption, even for businesses eager to accept bitcoin. I recently broke this down on the CCSalesPro podcast and shared how this change could shape everyday commerce. Here’s the clip:

💡 What This Means for Small Businesses

• Less friction at checkout → Today, some customers hesitate to spend bitcoin because of tax reporting headaches. Remove that, and paying with bitcoin becomes as easy as swiping a debit card.

• New spending incentives → A tax-free threshold encourages customers to use bitcoin for everyday purchases — the kind of transactions small businesses see daily, from cafés and salons to auto shops and local restaurants.

• Accelerated adoption → Even if the exemption begins at $300, expectations are that lawmakers will raise the limit over time, unlocking more opportunities for bitcoin to flow into day-to-day commerce.

🛒 What This Means at the Register

Imagine this:

A customer walks into your restaurant, enjoys a $40 dinner, and wants to pay with bitcoin. Today, they might hesitate — because technically, every bitcoin payment creates a taxable event. That means they’d need to track the price of bitcoin at the moment of purchase and report the gain or loss at tax time. For most people, that extra mental load is enough to push them back to using a credit card.

Now picture the same scenario after a de minimis exemption is in place:

• No taxable event.

• No tracking cost basis.

• No reporting small purchases to the IRS.

The customer pulls out their phone, scans the QR code, and pays instantly. No second-guessing. No paperwork. No friction.

And here’s where it gets exciting for business owners:

• Bitcoin becomes spendable money → With the tax headache removed, customers finally have a reason to use their bitcoin instead of holding it.

• More traffic and higher conversion → Bitcoiners actively seek out businesses that accept bitcoin — and when they can spend it tax-free, they’ll choose you over competitors.

• Seamless, modern checkout → With no friction, bitcoin payments start feeling just like tapping a debit card or using Apple Pay.

✨ From Curiosity to Currency

Bitcoin has often been treated as “digital gold” – a store of value to hold, not spend. A de minimis rule changes that narrative. It positions bitcoin as a real, usable currency for small everyday transactions.

For business owners, this shift could be the spark that turns bitcoin from an occasional curiosity into a meaningful payment option that drives sales and sets you apart from competitors.

🔎 Where Things Stand Today

• Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced a standalone bill in July 2025, called the BITCOIN Act, with a $300 exemption and an annual cap of $5,000 in exempted gains.

• The White House has signaled interest in raising the threshold closer to $600 per transaction.

• Momentum is building. If passed, this rule could lower the barrier for customers to spend their bitcoin — and open the door for small businesses to capture that demand.

🚀 Ready to Future-Proof Your Business?

Bitcoin is moving from a speculative asset to a spendable currency — and businesses that prepare now will be the first to benefit.

If you want to accept bitcoin payments and stay ahead of the curve, we can help.