Bitcoin in Maryland: what to know
Maryland limits crypto ATM (kiosk) purchases: $2,000/day new customers; $10,500/day existing. Crypto gains are taxed as ordinary income, with state and county income tax. The state does not accept crypto for tax payments.
Bitcoin has one price in US dollars across the country: the price on this page is the same as on the bitcoin price in the United States page, where federal tax rules are covered in full. What differs in Maryland is state law and tax, explained below.
Crypto ATMs in Maryland
SB 305 (2025) took effect July 1, 2025, and each kiosk has had to be registered with the Commissioner of Financial Regulation since January 1, 2026. Fees are capped at the greater of $5 or 15%. Rules adopted March 30, 2026 require fee refunds when fraud is properly reported, and an August 2026 advisory requires markups to be disclosed. Scammers often tell victims to pay through crypto ATMs: no government agency, bank or utility asks for payment in bitcoin.
Buying bitcoin in Maryland
Exchanges and other crypto businesses serving Maryland residents generally need a state money-transmitter license. Buying bitcoin carries no sales tax; you pay the exchange's spread and fees.
Tax on bitcoin in Maryland
Crypto gains are taxed as ordinary income, with state and county income tax. The state does not accept crypto for tax payments. Federally, the IRS treats bitcoin as property: selling, trading or spending it is a taxable event, with short-term gains (held a year or less) taxed as ordinary income and long-term gains at 0%, 15% or 20%; bitcoin received as pay or from mining is income. Exchanges and other custodial brokers report sales on Form 1099-DA: gross proceeds for sales from 1 January 2025, and cost basis for many sales from 1 January 2026. Every Form 1040 asks whether you received or disposed of a digital asset.
State bitcoin reserve
A 2025 Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bill (HB 1389) was not enacted.
Legal and tax information last reviewed October 2026. Crypto rules change quickly — check with the regulator or tax authority, or a qualified adviser, before acting. This is not tax, legal or investment advice.