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12 clusters · 57 sources · 39 days · First seen about 2 months ago · Last updated 13 days ago

German and French cryptocurrency taxation developments

Overview

The German Federal Ministry of Finance is managing two distinct cryptocurrency-related issues. On September 5, 2026, the ministry warned of a sophisticated scam using forged letters that falsely claim a 19 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) is due on cryptocurrency purchases by using actual transaction data. Concurrently, the government is advancing a draft proposal to overhaul cryptocurrency taxation. The reform aims to end the current tax-free status for digital assets held longer than twelve months, instead treating gains from assets like Bitcoin and Ether as capital income. Under the proposed rules, gains—including income from lending and staking—would be subject to a flat-rate withholding tax (Abgeltungsteuer) of 25 percent, plus the solidarity surcharge and potentially church tax. A personal annual exemption threshold of 1,000 euros is expected to remain. To prevent retroactive taxation, the draft includes a grandfathering clause: assets purchased on or before December 31, 2026, would remain under existing rules. The new regulations would apply to holdings acquired after the 2026 cutoff, with implementation expected in 2027. On October 9, 2026, the Bundestag rejected a Green Party proposal to abolish the crypto holding period. Following this, the Bundestag's Petitions Committee held a public session on October 12 regarding a petition by Nicole Nowak. On October 14, 2026, the proposed Bitcoin tax reform faced further delays after the federal cabinet failed to address it as scheduled. The draft remains in departmental coordination amid significant opposition, including criticism from the CDU Economic Council and a petition signed by over 44,000 people. Critics have raised concerns regarding increased bureaucracy and the accuracy of projected revenue increases, which are estimated at approximately 350 million euros by 2031. The debate has also extended to the tax treatment of gold and the principle of equal treatment for private investments.

Entities

German Federal Ministry of Finance · Federal Ministry of Finance · Germany · Bundestag · German Federal Cabinet

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 16 SOURCES] The Federal Ministry of Finance has drafted a proposal to tax cryptocurrency gains.
[● 16 SOURCES] A flat 25% withholding tax would be applied to cryptocurrency gains.
[● 15 SOURCES] The new tax system would end the current exemption for assets held for more than one year.
[● 13 SOURCES] The proposed tax would apply to cryptocurrency assets acquired after December 31, 2026.
[● 12 SOURCES] The draft legislation is currently undergoing review within the federal cabinet.
[● 11 SOURCES] The proposed changes would treat cryptocurrency gains similarly to stocks and funds.
[● 7 SOURCES] A personal tax-free allowance of 1,000 euros is expected to remain.
[● 6 SOURCES] The Ministry expects the measure to generate approximately 350 million euros in tax revenue by 2031.

Timeline

13 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Germany delays proposed Bitcoin tax reform
Germany's plan to abolish the one-year tax-free holding period for Bitcoin has stalled in departmental negotiations amid political resistance and public petitions.
15 days ago

[BUSINESS] 9 sources
Germany plans crypto tax reforms and OECD data exchange
Germany plans to end tax-free crypto gains by 2027, implementing a 25% tax regardless of holding period. Meanwhile, the US government is consolidating its Bitcoin holdings through internal transfers.
17 days ago

[BUSINESS] 9 sources
Germany and France propose stricter cryptocurrency tax reforms
Germany and France are planning significant cryptocurrency tax reforms, including the removal of tax-free holding periods in Germany and new taxes on stablecoin exchanges in France.
18 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Cryptocurrency markets face volatility amid German tax rulings
Bitcoin and altcoins faced market volatility in October 2026, marked by heavy US ETF outflows. Meanwhile, Germany's Bundestag rejected a proposal to abolish the one-year tax-free crypto holding period.
22 days ago

[BUSINESS] 3 sources
Germany proposes tax reform for Bitcoin and Ether
Germany is considering a tax reform that could end the tax-free status of Bitcoin and Ether held for over a year, reclassifying them as capital assets starting in 2027.
26 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Germany proposes new tax rules for cryptocurrency holdings
Germany's Federal Ministry of Finance proposes reclassifying cryptocurrency gains as capital income, potentially ending the one-year tax-free holding period for new digital asset acquisitions starting in 2027.
about 1 month ago

[BUSINESS] 6 sources
Germany proposes 50% tax basis on undocumented crypto sales
Germany has proposed a crypto tax reform where taxpayers lacking proof of purchase costs would be taxed on 50% of sales proceeds, a move industry experts warn will disproportionately affect retail investors.
about 1 month ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Germany proposes 25% flat tax on new cryptocurrency gains
Germany is considering a tax reform that would replace the current crypto holding period exemption with a flat 25% capital gains tax for assets purchased after 2026.
about 1 month ago

[BUSINESS] 3 sources
Germany plans access to dormant bank accounts and new crypto taxes
Germany plans to redirect up to 4.2 billion euros from dormant bank accounts to social funds and is drafting new cryptocurrency capital gains tax rules effective 2027.
about 2 months ago

[BUSINESS] 32 sources
Germany proposes 25% flat tax on cryptocurrency gains
Germany's Finance Ministry has drafted a plan to replace the one-year crypto tax exemption with a flat 25% tax on assets acquired after 2026, aiming to align digital assets with traditional capital gains.
about 2 months ago

[BUSINESS] 4 sources
Germany proposes tax reform for cryptocurrency gains
Germany is planning a tax reform that would subject cryptocurrency gains, including staking and lending, to withholding tax starting in 2028, ending the current tax-free status for long-term holdings.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 2 sources
Germany's Finance Ministry warns of crypto VAT scam
The German Federal Ministry of Finance warned of a sophisticated scam using forged letters to demand 19% VAT on cryptocurrency purchases by citing real transaction data.

Sources

ad-hoc-news.de · amica.de · augsburger-allgemeine.de · berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · bild.de · bitcoinbazis.hu · bitcoinethereumnews.com · block-builders.de · blockchain-hero.com · blockchainreporter.net · blockzeit.com · btc-echo.de · bundestag.de · clubic.com · coincu.com · coinedition.com · coinpedia.org · cointribune.com · comparic.pl · crypto-news-flash.com · crypto.news · cryptobriefing.com · cryptonews.com.au · cryptopolitan.com · cryptoticker.io · decrypt.co · derwesten.de · etailment.de · experten.de · faz.net · fehmarn24.de · fiala.de · finanznachrichten.de · forexlive.com · futurezone.de · hna.de · ibTimes.com · it-boltwise.de · kreiszeitung.de · kriptotarca.hu · leinetal24.de · livebitcoinnews.com · madeinbocholt.de · merkur-online.de · mycryptoparadise.com · news.bitcoin.com · nexora.es · op-online.de

This summary has been updated 16 times: see revision history