German Finance Minister Proposes Overhaul of Crypto Asset Taxation, Possibly Abolishing the One-Year Holding Period Exemption for Bitcoin

According to Bitcoin News, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil reportedly stated that the German government plans to tax Bitcoin and crypto assets differently from current rules—potentially eliminating the existing policy that exempts holdings held for over one year from taxation—and instead aligning their tax treatment more closely with that of equity assets. These proposed adjustments have already drawn criticism from some legal scholars, who argue that imposing a stricter tax regime specifically on Bitcoin may violate Germany’s constitutional principle of equal protection. Previously, Austria abolished a similar long-term holding exemption policy.