Germany’s government has announced plans to tax Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies like stocks moving forward.
Previously, investors in Germany could sell Bitcoin and other digital assets without paying any tax on their capital gains provided they held the investment for a year or longer.
New legislation put forward by the German Ministry of Finance would make gains on crypto investments acquired after Dec. 31, 2026, taxable regardless of the holding period.
The new approach is identical to how capital gains on the sale of stocks are taxed within Germany.
However, crypto bought before the end of this year will remain under the current rules and not subject to tax if owned for a year or longer.
Germany taxes capital gains on stocks at 25%, plus a 5.5% surcharge. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and stablecoins will be exempt from the new tax regime, according to the government.
Germany’s Finance Ministry forecasts that the new tax measure will generate about 160 million euros ($186 million U.S.) in additional tax revenue for the country in 2028.
Bitcoin is trading at $79,500 U.S. on Sept. 9.
