Petition Against Abolition of the Bitcoin Holding Period Surpasses 26,000 Signatures

As emerges from the initiative's circles, the quorum required for a public hearing in the Petitions Committee of the Bundestag has already been exceeded. This increases the political pressure on the coalition to address the concern. The platform ProHaltefrist, which describes itself as non-partisan, coordinates the collection and communication with members of parliament.

The federal government had announced, as part of its crypto tax plans, that it intended to eliminate the one-year holding period. The background is concern that extensive profits are not being taxed under the current rule. An official statement from the federal government on the current status of the signatures is not yet available.

Support from the SPD

The petition also receives support from within the ranks of the SPD. In a statement, Ulli Spankowski pointed to the importance of reliable framework conditions for private provision. He said: 'Wer kurzfristige Spekulation eindämmen will, darf langfristiges Investieren nicht bestrafen. Die Abschaffung der einjährigen Haltefrist würde vor allem Menschen treffen, die mit Kryptowerten langfristig Vermögen aufbauen oder privat vorsorgen. Deshalb unterstützen wir die Petition. Statt bewährte Regeln pauschal abzuschaffen, braucht es Transparenz, einen konsequenten Steuervollzug und langfristige Planungssicherheit.'

Supporters of the petition also point to the growing prevalence of crypto assets in private retirement provision. They demand, instead of eliminating the holding period, improving tax enforcement and creating clear rules for the taxation of profits from long-term investments. This could, according to their argument, ensure tax equality without disadvantaging savers.

Debate over Tax Enforcement

Opponents of retaining the period argue that the distinction between short-term and long-term profits is difficult to monitor in practice. They advocate subjecting all profits from private crypto disposals to income tax, regardless of the holding period. Which position will prevail in the ongoing debate remains open.

In the Bundestag, the Petitions Committee is expected to address the concern. If a petition reaches a quorum of 50,000 signatures, a public hearing in the plenary or the responsible committee is envisaged. With the current interim figure of 26,000 signatures, the initiative has reached half of this target.

Next Steps in the Bundestag

Observers assess the rapid collection as a sign that the issue of crypto taxation meets with considerable interest among the population. Industry associations and civil society initiatives are preparing statements that could feed into parliamentary deliberations in the coming weeks.

A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance stated only that the draft bill continues to be in interministerial coordination. The ministry does not comment on ongoing petition procedures as a matter of principle. This leaves open whether the holding period will actually be up for decision in this legislative period.

The organizers announced that they intend to continue the collection in the coming weeks. At the same time, they are preparing an accompanying document with demands to members of parliament, which includes, among other things, a waiver on the elimination of the holding period as well as measures for the better recording of crypto profits.