Germany's Crypto Holding Period: Two Tax Models Are on the Table, and €21,100 Separates Them

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry a high degree of risk. Germany's one-year rule is the best-known crypto tax rule in Europe: hold a coin for more than twelve months, sell it, owe nothing. Since the German cabinet's 2027 budget decision, one sentence has appeared in almost every report about its future: crypto gains will be taxed like stock gains. That sentence is wrong twice over, and both errors can be checked against documents anyone can download. It is wrong first because, as of 12 August 2026, there is no law and not even a ministry draft on crypto taxation. It is wrong second, and this matters far more, because two entirely different models are circulating. On a €100,000 gain held for more than twelve months, the two models are €21,100 apart. Which one ends up in the statute book is genuinely open, so anyone talking about "the" German reform is talking about nothing in particular. Key facts at a glance As of 12 August 2026 there is no law and no ministry draft on crypto taxation. The working draft of Germany's Annual Tax Act 2026, published on 13 July 2026, con...