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German and French cryptocurrency taxation developments

Updated 16 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-14 12:23 UTC → 2026-10-14 16:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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, meaning existing rules remain while the Ministry’s draft is pending. On October 12, 2026,~~ period. Following this, the ~~German~~ Bundestag's Petitions Committee held a public session on October 12 regarding a petition by Nicole Nowak. ~~Additionally, Germany is preparing for~~ On October 14, 2026, the ~~2027 implementation of~~ proposed Bitcoin tax reform faced further delays after the ~~OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which will facilitate~~ federal cabinet failed to address it as scheduled. The draft remains in departmental coordination amid significant opposition, including criticism from the ~~automatic exchange~~ CDU Economic Council and a petition signed by over 44,000 people. Critics have raised concerns regarding increased bureaucracy and the accuracy of ~~crypto-asset information among 46 participating countries~~ projected revenue increases, which are estimated at approximately 350 million euros by 2031. The debate has also extended to ~~standardize data sharing across jurisdictions. In France,~~ the ~~National Assembly’s Finance Committee passed an amendment to make exchanging cryptocurrencies~~ tax treatment of gold and the principle of equal treatment for ~~fiat-pegged stablecoins taxable starting January 1, 2027.~~ private investments.

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