The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a prominent opposition group in the Bundestag, recently submitted a parliamentary motion, urging the government to recognize Bitcoin as a “strategic asset” and not include it in the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.  The motion bases its argument on Bitcoin’s merits, which they say fundamentally distinguish it from […]The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a prominent opposition group in the Bundestag, recently submitted a parliamentary motion, urging the government to recognize Bitcoin as a “strategic asset” and not include it in the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.  The motion bases its argument on Bitcoin’s merits, which they say fundamentally distinguish it from […]

Germany’s AfD party urges government to recognize Bitcoin as a strategic asset

2025/10/30 01:56

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a prominent opposition group in the Bundestag, recently submitted a parliamentary motion, urging the government to recognize Bitcoin as a “strategic asset” and not include it in the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. 

The motion bases its argument on Bitcoin’s merits, which they say fundamentally distinguish it from other crypto assets, which MiCA was primarily designed to regulate. 

AfD urges government to recognize Bitcoin 

The AfD parliamentary group wants Bitcoin to be exempt from regulatory and tax burdens. To that end, the MPs submitted a motion to that effect on October 23 under the title “Recognizing the strategic potential of Bitcoin – preserving freedom through restraint in taxation and regulation”.

The parliamentary group argues in the motion that Bitcoin has too many great qualities to be relegated to the category of crypto asset classes to be taxed and regulated. 

Some of the attributes they noted include how it is “decentralized, non-manipulable, and limited-availability digital asset.” According to the AfD, it should therefore not fall under EU Regulation “Markets in Crypto-Assets” (MiCA). 

“Overregulation of Bitcoin service providers and users in the course of national MiCA implementation jeopardizes Germany’s innovative capacity, financial freedom, and digital sovereignty,” the group wrote.

They believe that excessive regulation could trigger a capital flight as companies seek greener, more sustainable pastures abroad, effectively weakening the country’s competitiveness and inhibiting progress. 

“The federal government has so far failed to strategically recognize Bitcoin, for example, as a technology for energy integration or, in times of increasing monetary instability, as an asset held within currency reserves,” the MPs also wrote.

They also want tax clarification from the federal government, with the holding period for Bitcoin investments to be reliably maintained at 12 months, while mining and the operation of Lightning nodes in the private sector should not be considered commercial activities. 

In addition to all those demands, the AfD has asked that the federal government develop a “strategic statement,” one that will highlight the role of Bitcoin as “free, digital money in the 21st century.” Above all, they noted “its technological implications,” “its energy policy potential,” and “its significance for digital freedoms and monetary sovereignty.”

AfD has submitted a Bitcoin Reserve Proposal

The AfD submitted a parliamentary motion to the Bundestag on October 14, 2025, that urged the federal government to start accumulating Bitcoin as part of its long-term reserve strategy. 

In the proposal, the party also talked about how the EU’s MiCA framework was designed for centrally issued tokens, which does not apply to Bitcoin, which lacks an issuer or central authority. 

It touted Bitcoin as “state-free money” that protects individual freedom in contrast to the planned digital euro, which it warns has the potential to enable surveillance and control, something Palantir hinted at with its shocking dystopian ad months ago. 

In the proposal’s Section I, point 5, the AfD also criticized the German government for not recognizing Bitcoin’s strategic potential, specifically noting that Berlin has not considered holding Bitcoin as part of its national reserves. 

AfD is right about this assessment. Many countries have BTC reserves in one form or another, either from buying or seizing from convicted fraudsters and criminals, and Germany used to be one of them. Then, it started selling its stash. 

In fact, the AfD proposal comes less than a year after the German government completed one of the largest state-level Bitcoin selloffs in global history. Between June and July 2024, German authorities offloaded nearly 50,000 BTC, worth about $3 billion at the time. 

After the selloff, an 18% correction followed, and so did heavy criticism from the Bitcoin community, who wanted the Germans to know they had fumbled a 10/10 asset, one that was scarce and appreciating. 

By mid-July 2024, blockchain data confirmed that wallets linked to the German government held no Bitcoin after sending the final tranches to exchanges and market makers.

Now, the AfD and many others are increasingly urging the government to do an about-face and start accumulating the asset once more.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.
Share Insights

You May Also Like

Talos Appoints Former Cowen Digital Head Drew Forman as SVP, Head of Strategy Amid Surge in Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets

Talos Appoints Former Cowen Digital Head Drew Forman as SVP, Head of Strategy Amid Surge in Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets

BitcoinWorld Talos Appoints Former Cowen Digital Head Drew Forman as SVP, Head of Strategy Amid Surge in Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets Leadership team expansion coincides with recent onboarding of large asset managers representing $21 trillion in AUM NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Talos, the premier provider of institutional digital assets technology and data for trading and portfolio management, announced the appointment of Drew Forman as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy. In this newly created executive role, Forman will lead firmwide initiatives spanning market expansion, product innovation and corporate development as Talos continues to strengthen its position at the center of the institutional digital assets ecosystem. As Head of Cowen Digital, Forman launched a full-service, institutional digital assets platform that offered trade execution, custody through partners, and aggregated liquidity solutions for traditional institutions entering the market. He brings to Talos deep experience in derivatives trading, having led Cowen’s equity derivatives desk, co-led the trading desk at Macro Risk Advisors, and held senior derivatives trading roles at Nomura and J.P. Morgan. Most recently, at Hudson Bay Capital, he focused on the portfolio management and trading of equity volatility strategies, further demonstrating his analytical rigor in traditional finance. “We’re very fortunate to welcome Drew Forman to Talos,” said Anton Katz, CEO and Co-Founder of Talos. “We’ve seen significant growth in traditional institutions entering digital assets, and with that comes a tremendous opportunity for Talos to support their sophisticated workflows. Drew’s proven leadership in building and scaling businesses across traditional and digital finance makes him uniquely positioned to help chart Talos’s next phase of growth.” Forman will report directly to CEO Anton Katz, overseeing business strategy, exploring inorganic growth and partnership opportunities, and helping to define the firm’s long-term positioning across both digital and traditional asset markets. His mandate includes driving alignment across the organization and ensuring that Talos’s platform continues to be the trusted infrastructure layer for financial institutions. Forman’s appointment reflects Talos’s ongoing momentum and the broader wave of institutional engagement in digital assets. Over the past year, Talos has onboarded as clients multiple leading asset managers representing approximately $21 trillion in assets under management (AUM), as well as hedge funds collectively managing over $100 billion in AUM. In addition, several retail brokers have adopted Talos’s technology, enabling over 100 million end users to trade digital assets. Recent growth milestones also include the integration of the Talos order and execution management system (OEMS) with BlackRock’s Aladdin® investment platform, and the acquisitions of four best-in-class digital assets firms: data provider Coin Metrics, risk management platform Cloudwall, institutional DeFi technology provider Skolem, and portfolio engineering platform D3X Systems. These strategic moves advance Talos’s commitment to delivering an institutional-grade platform that supports the full lifecycle of digital asset investment. “I’ve followed Talos’s evolution with admiration, from assembling the broadest connectivity network to building out the most comprehensive execution and portfolio management system for digital assets,” added Forman. “This is an inflection point not only for Talos, but for the convergence of digital and traditional finance. I’m honored to join the leadership team to help shape the firm’s strategic direction and accelerate the next phase of growth.” About Talos Talos provides institutional-grade technology and data that supports the full digital asset investment lifecycle, including liquidity sourcing, price discovery, trading, settlement and portfolio management. Engineered by a team with unmatched experience building institutional trading, portfolio and data systems, the Talos platform connects institutions to key providers in the digital asset ecosystem – exchanges, OTC desks, prime brokers, lenders, custodians, and more – through a single interface. For additional information, visit www.talos.com. Talos Disclaimer: Talos offers software-as-a-service products that provide connectivity tools for institutional clients. Talos does not provide clients with any pre-negotiated arrangements with liquidity providers or other parties. Clients are required to independently negotiate arrangements with liquidity providers and other parties bilaterally. Talos is not party to any of these arrangements. Services and venues may not be available in all jurisdictions. MEDIA CONTACT: media@talos.com   This post Talos Appoints Former Cowen Digital Head Drew Forman as SVP, Head of Strategy Amid Surge in Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets first appeared on BitcoinWorld.
Share
Coinstats2025/10/30 20:45