How to calculate crypto tax in Germany
Quick answer: To calculate crypto tax in Germany, import or add your trades, check the holding periods, read the year's result and fill in Anlage SO.
- Import or add your trades. Upload a CSV from Coinbase, Binance or Kraken, or a simple file with date, type, asset, amount, total and fee. Values must be in euros.
- Check the holding periods. Each sale is matched FIFO with your earliest coins and split into the part held more than a year (tax-free) and the part held for a year or less.
- Read the year's result. The taxable gain per calendar year, and whether it stays under the Freigrenze.
- Fill in Anlage SO. Taxable private sales of crypto are declared in Anlage SO (private Veräußerungsgeschäfte).
The one-year rule
Under §23 EStG a sale is a taxable private sale only if no more than one year passes between buying and selling. Coins bought on 15 March 2024 are tax-free if sold on 16 March 2025 or later. Swapping one coin for another counts as a sale, and the year starts again for the coins you receive.
FIFO and fees
The Federal Ministry of Finance's guidance treats the coins bought first as sold first (FIFO). Buying fees add to the cost; selling fees are deducted from the gain.
The Freigrenze
Gains from private sales stay tax-free if the year's total is under €1,000 (€600 up to 2023). It's a Freigrenze, not an allowance: at €1,000 or more the whole amount is taxable. It counts all private sales of the year, so add other private sales if you had any.
Frequently asked questions
Is crypto tax-free after one year in Germany?
For private individuals, yes: gains on coins held for more than one year are not taxable private sales under §23 EStG. Staking or lending doesn't extend this to ten years for currency tokens, according to the Federal Ministry of Finance.
What is the Freigrenze for 2024 and later?
€1,000 per person per calendar year (€600 up to 2023). If total gains from private sales reach €1,000, all of it is taxable.
Can I use losses?
Losses from private sales can only be set against gains from private sales: the same year, the previous year, or carried forward.
What do I get with the paid report?
The on-screen totals are free. The PDF report lists every sale with the coins it used, the holding period, whether it's taxable, and a summary per year for Anlage SO.
Is this tax advice?
No. It calculates from the trades you enter, using the published rules. Check the result, or ask a Steuerberater if your situation is complex.