- The AfD party urges Germany to treat Bitcoin as a strategic national asset.
- The AfD proposal for a Bitcoin reserve seeks MiCA exemptions and clear, favorable tax rules.
- AfD promotes Bitcoin as a “state-free money” to strengthen sovereignty.
The German political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has submitted a parliamentary motion asking the federal government to recognize Bitcoin as a strategic asset.
The concise, direct proposal argues that Bitcoin deserves distinct treatment from other cryptocurrencies and calls for tax and regulatory relief to foster innovation and increase national sovereignty.
AfD motion for a strategic Bitcoin reserve
The AfD motion calls on lawmakers to treat Bitcoin differently from tokens and stablecoins covered by the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets framework (MiCA).
It contends that Bitcoin’s decentralized design and fixed supply make it a unique form of digital value that should not be shoehorned into rules intended for centrally issued crypto instruments.
The party explicitly suggests that the government consider accumulating Bitcoin as part of national reserves to hedge against inflation and currency volatility.
A central demand of the motion is tax certainty.
AfD legislators seek to preserve the existing 12-month exemption for private capital gains and to maintain Bitcoin’s exemption from VAT.
They also call for private mining nodes and Lightning Network operators to be explicitly classified as non-commercial activities, reducing administrative burdens on individual participants.
The motion emphasizes the right to self-custody and warns that legal uncertainty discourages long-term private investment.
AfD frames the proposal as part of a broader defense of digital sovereignty.
The party opposes a European digital euro and presents Bitcoin as “state-free money” that can protect liberties and reduce dependence on centrally issued monetary instruments.
The motion arrives amid debate over Germany’s mid-2024 decision to sell nearly 50,000 BTC seized in criminal proceedings — a move AfD and others now describe as a political mistake given subsequent price movements.
The document argues that strict national implementation of MiCA risks capital flight and could weaken Germany’s position in blockchain innovation.
AfD lawmakers claim that excessive regulation will drive firms and talent to more welcoming jurisdictions, reducing competitiveness in a fast-evolving technology and business landscape.
The party also highlights potential synergies between Bitcoin and energy policy.
The motion suggests that productive use of surplus renewable energy — including mining — could create technological and economic alignment between Germany’s energy transition and the Bitcoin network.
AfD presents Bitcoin accumulation as a prudent diversification of reserve assets, drawing parallels to moves and proposals in other European countries that have discussed or adopted similar approaches.
Beyond calling for a formal strategic statement from the federal government, the motion seeks concrete commitments: preserving tax benefits, exempting certain private operations from commercial classification, legitimizing the right to self-custody, and openly exploring Bitcoin’s role in reserves and energy integration.
AfD asks the Bundestag to formally recognize Bitcoin’s separate status and to limit the creation of national rules that would extend MiCA beyond its intended scope.
Public reaction
Supporters in cryptocurrency circles welcomed the proposal as a sign that mainstream policy debate is moving away from dismissive attitudes toward digital money.
Critics fear the plan could politicize reserve policy or conflict with EU regulatory intentions.
Observers note Germany’s outsized role in the European economy, so any move toward strategic treatment of Bitcoin would resonate across markets and political discussions.
As the Bundestag reviews the AfD motion and the broader question of how national policy should align with EU rules, the proposal’s prospects will depend on cross-party calculations about economic benefits, sovereign risk, and regulatory coherence.