What Happens Between a Wallet Export and a Filed Crypto Tax Return?

Crypto tax software makes one part of reporting easier: it collects data and applies calculation rules at scale. But a wallet export is not a tax return, and a green “all transactions reviewed” indicator is not proof that the underlying history is complete. The difficult work sits between raw records and filed forms. That middle layer is where transfers are matched, missing basis is reconstructed, DeFi activity is interpreted, broker statements are reconciled, and assumptions are documented. Step one: build the full universe of records The process starts with every exchange, wallet, blockchain, and protocol used during the year.