Under current German rules, profits from selling crypto assets are taxable only if less than one year passes between purchase and sale. You report gains and losses from private sales of this kind in the tax return form Anlage SO (supplementary schedule for other income). Getting the details right avoids follow-up questions from the tax office.
Short answer: Under section 23 EStG (income tax act, private sales of assets), profits are taxable if less than one year lies between purchase and sale. Gains from private sales stay tax-free if the total for the calendar year is below 1,000 euros. You report the figures in Anlage SO. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points
- Sales more than one year after purchase are not taxable under current law (section 23 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 2 EStG).
- The total gain from private sales stays tax-free if it is below 1,000 euros in the calendar year (section 23 para. 3 sentence 5 EStG).
- Once the total exceeds the threshold, the whole gain is taxable, not only the amount above 1,000 euros.
- Gains and losses from private sales go into Anlage SO of your income tax return.
- A change to the one-year holding period from 2027 is under discussion. Only an enacted law is binding.
When is a crypto gain taxable?
The law distinguishes by the time between purchase and sale. Section 23 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 2 EStG covers sales of other assets where no more than one year passes between acquisition and disposal. According to the established practice of the tax authorities, crypto assets fall under this rule.
For your return, this means each sale stands on its own. The purchase date and the sale date are decisive, not the date when money arrives in your bank account.
How do you calculate a crypto gain correctly?
The gain is the sale price minus the acquisition cost and the incidental costs linked to buying and selling. Exchange fees can therefore reduce the gain. Keep the calculation traceable for every transaction, because the tax office may ask for it.
| Situation | Tax treatment under current law |
|---|---|
| Sale more than one year after purchase | Not taxable, the sale falls outside the period |
| Sale within one year, total gain below 1,000 euros | Tax-free under section 23 para. 3 sentence 5 EStG |
| Sale within one year, total gain above 1,000 euros | Entire gain taxable |
| Holding without selling | No taxable sale in that year |
Worked example: exemption threshold or allowance?
Assumption: You bought crypto assets for 2,000 euros in January 2026 and sold them for 3,200 euros in October 2026. The holding period is under one year, so the gain is 1,200 euros.
- The total gain from private sales for the year is 1,200 euros.
- This amount is above 1,000 euros, so the exemption threshold does not apply.
- The full gain of 1,200 euros is taxable and enters your income tax at your personal rate.
The limit therefore works as an exemption threshold, not as a tax-free allowance. A gain of 1,010 euros would be fully taxable, while a gain of 990 euros would not be taxable at all. Keep this in mind when you plan sales within a calendar year.
Where do you enter the figures?
You report private sales of this kind in Anlage SO. The line numbers and boxes change from year to year, so check them against the current form before you file. You can access the forms through ELSTER or the forms section of the German tax administration. Make sure you have the purchase date, sale date and amounts for every transaction.
What could change from 2027
A change being discussed is the removal of the one-year holding period for crypto assets, with gains taxed regardless of how long you held them. Proposals of this kind are still in the legislative process or only suggestions. Until a law is passed and published, the existing rules apply. Whether and from which year a change takes effect depends on what the law specifies.
Holdings from earlier years are often treated separately in such proposals. Do not rely on press reports alone. Check the wording of the law or ask the competent tax office.
Keeping records for crypto transactions
Unlike a bank account, crypto platforms rarely issue a finished annual certificate. You need to save transaction overviews yourself. Download them regularly, especially before an account is closed or restricted.
If you hold several purchases of the same coin, a sale requires you to show which units were sold. A clean list with date, quantity and amount for each transaction prevents inconsistencies. Fees and transfers belong on that list as well, because they can change the gain.
- Account statements or transaction overviews from the platform for the full calendar year.
- Purchase records with date, quantity, price and fees.
- Sale records with date, quantity, sale price and fees.
- A list of all swaps between different crypto assets.
Common stumbling blocks in Anlage SO
The most frequent problem is transferring data from the exchange overview into the form. Make sure dates use the right format and amounts are converted into euros. If you use a foreign currency, keep a record of the exchange rate you applied.
Another stumbling block is transactions that do not look like sales, such as payments in shops or swapping one coin for another. Review every movement before you treat it as tax-free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to report crypto if I did not sell anything?
If you only hold crypto assets, no sale gain arises under current law. Still, document your transactions, because swaps and sales in one year can interact. A complete overview makes the return easier.
Does swapping one coin for another count as a sale?
A swap of one cryptocurrency for another is generally treated as a disposal of the unit given up. The gain then depends on the value at the time of the swap. Because the allocation can be complex, a case-by-case review is worthwhile.
What happens with losses?
Losses from private sales generally reduce the gains of the same calendar year. How they affect later years depends on the rules that apply in that case. The tax office can give you a reliable answer.
Next steps
- List every purchase and sale with date, amount and fees.
- Assign each disposal to its holding period and mark the cases under one year.
- Calculate the total gain for the year and enter it in Anlage SO.
Related articles
- Taxes 2027 for students and career starters: overview
- Crypto gains from 2027 at 25 percent: worked example
- Tax return 2026: deadlines for students until 31 July 2027
- Tax return without a tax advisor: is it worth it for students?
Sources: Section 23 EStG, private sales of assets (accessed November 2026)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
