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22 May 2026, 01:55

German Parliament Rejects Bill to End Crypto Capital Gains Tax Exemption

BitcoinWorld German Parliament Rejects Bill to End Crypto Capital Gains Tax Exemption Germany’s Federal Parliament, the Bundestag, has rejected a proposed tax reform bill that would have eliminated the country’s long-standing capital gains tax exemption for cryptocurrency holdings, according to reports from local media outlets. The decision preserves a policy that has made Germany one of the more favorable jurisdictions for long-term crypto investors in Europe. Green Party Proposal Rejected The bill, introduced by the German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), sought to abolish the current rule that exempts capital gains from taxation when cryptocurrencies are sold after being held for more than one year. Under the existing framework, which has been in place since 2018, private investors who hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other digital assets for at least 12 months can sell them without incurring capital gains tax. The Green Party argued that crypto assets should be subject to the same tax rules as other investments, such as stocks and bonds, where profits are generally taxable regardless of holding period. The party estimated that repealing the exemption could generate approximately €11.4 billion ($12.3 billion) in additional annual tax revenue for the German government. Arguments Against the Reform Opponents of the bill, including members of the governing coalition and opposition parties, contended that the measure could have imposed a higher tax burden on crypto investors compared to those in traditional stocks. They argued that the existing policy encourages long-term investment and innovation in the digital asset space, aligning with Germany’s broader goal of becoming a leading hub for blockchain technology and financial technology (fintech). Critics also pointed out that taxing crypto gains after one year could discourage retail investors from entering the market and potentially drive activity to less regulated jurisdictions or decentralized platforms, undermining tax compliance efforts. Implications for Crypto Investors in Germany The rejection of the bill provides continued clarity for German crypto investors. The current tax framework means that investors who purchase cryptocurrencies and hold them for more than 12 months can realize profits tax-free, provided the assets are not used for business or professional trading activities. Short-term trades, where assets are sold within one year, remain subject to personal income tax rates. This policy is distinct from many other European Union member states, where capital gains on crypto are often taxed after shorter holding periods or without any exemption. Germany’s approach has been cited by industry advocates as a model that balances tax revenue collection with incentives for long-term investment. Broader Context of German Crypto Regulation The Bundestag’s decision comes amid ongoing discussions in the European Union about the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which aims to create a unified legal framework for crypto assets across the bloc. Germany has already implemented several progressive crypto policies, including recognizing Bitcoin as a legal form of payment and allowing banks to custody and trade digital assets. The rejection of the tax reform bill does not preclude future legislative efforts to modify crypto taxation. However, it signals that the current parliament is not inclined to impose additional tax burdens on long-term crypto holders at this time. Conclusion The German Bundestag’s rejection of the Green Party’s bill to end the crypto capital gains tax exemption represents a significant win for the country’s crypto community. By maintaining the one-year holding period exemption, Germany continues to offer one of the most favorable tax environments for long-term crypto investors in Europe. The decision reflects a broader political consensus that the current policy supports innovation and investment, even as the government explores other avenues for regulating the digital asset market. FAQs Q1: What is the current crypto capital gains tax exemption in Germany? Germany currently exempts capital gains from taxation when cryptocurrencies are sold after being held for more than one year. This applies to private investors who do not engage in professional or business trading. Q2: Why did the Green Party propose to end the exemption? The Green Party argued that crypto assets should be taxed similarly to other investments like stocks and bonds, where profits are generally taxable regardless of holding period. They estimated the change could generate €11.4 billion annually in additional tax revenue. Q3: What happens to crypto investors in Germany now? The existing tax exemption remains in place. Investors can continue to sell crypto holdings after one year without paying capital gains tax, provided they are not professional traders. Short-term trades (within one year) remain subject to income tax. This post German Parliament Rejects Bill to End Crypto Capital Gains Tax Exemption first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

22 May 2026, 00:58

EU consumer groups accuse Google, Meta and TikTok of letting scam ads slip through

European consumer groups have filed complaints against Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL), Meta Platforms (META), and TikTok, saying the companies are still letting financial scam ads reach users. The complaints were filed on Thursday by the European Consumer Organisation, known as BEUC, and 29 member groups from 27 countries. The case has been sent to the European Commission and national regulators under the EU Digital Services Act. That law makes large online platforms deal with illegal and harmful content more seriously. BEUC says fake money ads are still showing up on major platforms, even after users report them. The group says people can lose hundreds or thousands of euros when fraudsters push fake investment offers, crypto-style traps, and other online schemes. BEUC says Google, Meta and TikTok let fraudsters keep reaching European users Agustin Reyna, BEUC’s director general, said Meta, TikTok, and Google are not removing scam ads early enough. He also said they do too little after being told about the scams. “Meta, TikTok and Google not only fail to proactively remove fraudulent ads but also do little when being notified about such scams,” Agustin said. He said the danger is not small because fraudsters can reach millions of people in Europe every day. “If they fail to address the financial scams circulating on their platforms, fraudsters will continue to reach millions of European consumers daily, leaving people at risk of losing hundreds to thousands of euros to fraud,” Agustin said. Google rejected the complaint. A company spokesperson said the filing gives the wrong picture of how Google handles scam ads. “This complaint misrepresents how we fight scams and is inherently flawed. We take extensive measures to keep scams off our platforms, blocking over 99% of policy-violating ads before they are ever seen,” the spokesperson said. Meta also rejected the claims. The company said it found and removed more than 159 million scam ads last year. Meta said 92% of those ads were taken down before any user reported them. “We invest in advanced AI, tools, and partnerships to stop them,” a Meta spokesperson said. EU weighs chip sanctions delay as tech firms put $125 million into AI semiconductor work These scam advertisement complaints were occurring amid speculation that the European Union may offer a temporary exemption to a Chinese semiconductor supplier affected by Russian-backed sanctions. According to Bloomberg, the exemption may be announced in the coming days. This Chinese company forms part of the sanctioned group approved last month, in addition to other Chinese companies. The Chinese ministry of commerce rejected the sanctions package. The EU was asked to hold back on implementing the ban because European automakers had not yet been able to establish alternative supply chain sources for the Chinese semiconductor supplier, and risked running out of chip supplies in the coming weeks. In the US, Broadcom Inc. (AVGO), Meta Platforms Inc. (META), Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT), GlobalFoundries Inc. (GFS), and Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) support the $125 million Semiconductor Hub at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. The hub will focus on AI chip research, chip design, manufacturing, equipment, software, and workforce training. It will begin with a five-year commitment. Faculty members and student researchers will work with the companies on ways to bring chip ideas to market faster. Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park, dean of engineering at UCLA Samueli, said the future of the chip industry is still unclear. “Nobody, including industry, know[s] what a semiconductor industry [is] going to look like in 10 years,” Alissa said. “But can we continue to ask [the] most challenging, difficult questions, and high-risk, high-return kind of questions? That’s what we are hoping to do, because this conversation is happening [in a] very sluggish way.” The funding also covers yearlong internships for engineering doctoral students with the same partner companies. The launch comes while AI keeps changing the job market and tech companies cut staff. Meta is set to start another round of layoffs this week, cutting 8,000 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .

21 May 2026, 22:45

439 Million USDC Burned: What It Means for Stablecoin Supply and Market Stability

BitcoinWorld 439 Million USDC Burned: What It Means for Stablecoin Supply and Market Stability In a significant on-chain event, blockchain tracking service Whale Alert reported that 439 million USDC has been burned at the USDC Treasury. The transaction, recorded on the Ethereum network, represents a large-scale reduction in the circulating supply of the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization. Understanding the USDC Burn A burn in the context of stablecoins like USDC refers to the permanent removal of tokens from circulation. When USDC is redeemed for fiat currency by holders or institutions, the equivalent amount of tokens is sent to the USDC Treasury and subsequently burned. This process ensures that the circulating supply remains pegged to the actual fiat reserves held by Circle, the issuer of USDC. The 439 million USDC burn is one of the largest single transactions of its kind in recent months. While large burns can sometimes indicate reduced demand for the stablecoin, they can also be part of routine treasury management or institutional redemption cycles. Market Implications and Context The burn reduces the total USDC supply, which currently stands at approximately 28 billion tokens. A decrease in supply, all else being equal, can have a subtle upward pressure on the token’s value relative to its peg, though USDC is designed to remain stable at $1.00. More importantly, large burns often signal shifts in institutional sentiment or strategic rebalancing by major holders. This event comes at a time when the broader crypto market is experiencing mixed signals. Bitcoin and Ethereum have shown moderate volatility, and stablecoin supply metrics are closely watched by analysts as indicators of market liquidity and investor appetite for risk. A reduction in stablecoin supply can sometimes precede a period of lower trading volume or a shift toward more cautious market positioning. What This Means for Investors For everyday crypto users and investors, a burn of this magnitude is not a direct signal to buy or sell. Instead, it is a data point that reflects the ongoing dynamics of stablecoin issuance and redemption. Investors should view this as part of the normal operational flow of a regulated stablecoin, rather than a market-moving event in isolation. Circle’s transparency in reporting such transactions through on-chain data and services like Whale Alert helps maintain trust in the USDC ecosystem. The company regularly publishes attestation reports confirming that USDC is fully backed by cash and short-term U.S. Treasury obligations. Conclusion The 439 million USDC burn is a notable but routine event in the lifecycle of a major stablecoin. It reflects the ongoing redemption and supply management processes that keep USDC pegged to the U.S. dollar. While large burns can attract attention, they are not inherently bullish or bearish for the broader crypto market. For those tracking stablecoin metrics, this event provides useful data on supply dynamics and institutional behavior. FAQs Q1: What does it mean when USDC is burned? When USDC is burned, tokens are permanently removed from circulation. This typically happens when holders redeem USDC for fiat currency, and the equivalent tokens are destroyed to maintain the stablecoin’s peg. Q2: Does a large USDC burn affect the price of USDC? USDC is designed to maintain a stable value of $1.00. While a large burn reduces supply, the market price generally remains near its peg due to arbitrage mechanisms and the stablecoin’s backing by fiat reserves. Q3: Should I be concerned about a 439 million USDC burn? No. Large burns are a normal part of stablecoin operations and reflect institutional redemptions or treasury management. They are not typically a cause for concern and do not indicate any issue with the stability or backing of USDC. This post 439 Million USDC Burned: What It Means for Stablecoin Supply and Market Stability first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

21 May 2026, 21:30

US Lawmakers Propose the ‘ARMA’ Bill to Build a 1-Million-Bitcoin Strategic Reserve

Rep. Nick Begich and Rep. Jared Golden introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA), a bipartisan effort that, if approved, will establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the U.S. that will have to be maintained for at least 20 years. Bipartisan Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill Introduced To Congress Alaska Rep. Nick Begich and

21 May 2026, 21:23

Quantum stocks jump after the U.S. government announced a $2 billion grant plan for nine companies

Quantum stocks rallied today because the U.S. government is investing $2 billion in grants to nine companies working on quantum computing. The National Institute of Standards and Technology said it signed letters of intent with the companies. The U.S. government will also take minority stakes in each business, but those stakes will not give it control. The biggest award is going to IBM (IBM), which is set to receive $1 billion from the Commerce Department. IBM stock traded about 7% higher after the announcement. IBM backs Anderon as the U.S. funds a new quantum chip foundry IBM is one of the main public companies building quantum computers. These machines are being designed to handle problems that regular computers struggle with or cannot solve at all. After the Wall Street Journal reported the funding plan, IBM confirmed that it will work with the U.S. government on the country’s first purpose-built quantum foundry. IBM said the project will “accelerate American quantum innovation and enable advanced quantum wafer production for a broad range of companies.” The Commerce Department grant will support research and development at Anderon, a new IBM company. IBM said it will also put $1 billion into Anderon, matching the planned government grant. Anderon will be based in Albany, New York, and run as a separate company. IBM said, “Headquartered in Albany, New York as a standalone company, Anderon will operate as a state-of-the-art 300-millimeter quantum wafer foundry.” IBM also said the business will help the U.S. strengthen its place in a quantum industry that could create up to $850 billion in economic value by 2040. The company also tied the project to U.S. economic growth and national security. Other companies are getting smaller awards. GlobalFoundries (GFS) is set to receive $375 million. D-Wave Quantum (QBTS), Rigetti Computing (RGTI), and private company Infleqtion are each expected to get $100 million. Startup Diraq is reportedly in line for $38 million. The stock reaction was not quiet. D-Wave and Rigetti both climbed about 25%. Infleqtion rose roughly 30%. Other quantum names that were not listed in the grant announcement also gained. Arqit Quantum (ARQQ) rose 30%, IonQ (IONQ) added 12%, and Quantum Computing (QUBT) gained 17%. Traders lift major indexes while oil and Treasury yields stay unstable The wider U.S. stock market also finished higher on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 276.31 points, or 0.55%, and closed at a record 50,285.66. The S&P 500 rose 0.17% to 7,445.72. The Nasdaq Composite added 0.09% and ended at 26,293.10. Oil prices fell even as the market stayed nervous over the Middle East conflict. West Texas Intermediate futures dropped almost 2% to close at $96.35 per barrel. Brent crude fell more than 2% to finish at $102.58 per barrel. Treasury yields were also volatile as traders watched for any sign of a deal. International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol warned that oil markets could soon enter a “red zone.” Fatih said global inventories are falling while summer travel is lifting demand. Fatih said the key answer to the Iran war energy shock is a full and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said if the route does not reopen, and if no new Middle East oil supply comes online, oil markets “may be entering the red zone in July or August.” He made the comments at a Chatham House session on the Strait of Hormuz crisis and global energy security. The IEA has said the global oil market is facing the most severe disruption in its history. Fatih said the market had extra supply when the crisis began, which helped soften the blow, but those stockpiles are now shrinking. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

21 May 2026, 20:35

Alaska Rep Begich pushes bill to protect America’s crypto reserve from admin change

United States House Representative Nick Begich of Alaska has introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA), legislation designed to write President Donald Trump’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve into permanent statute and insulate the federal government’s Bitcoin holdings from being unwound by a future administration. ARMA seeks to do for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve what the CLARITY and GENIUS Acts are designed to do for the crypto market structure and stablecoins, which is to codify the framework so it survives the next election. Begich, in a statement on X , said the bill would protect digital reserve assets “from the whims of Congress or future administrations.” Why is Begich rebranding the BITCOIN Act? ARMA is a renamed version of the BITCOIN Act , which was introduced by him and sponsored by Senator Cynthia Lummis in March 2025. The rebranding followed discussions with the House Financial Services Committee aimed at getting more support after the original bill failed to gain traction in 2025. Begich’s argument is that what “a president can do in four years, a Congress can do permanently.” The bill establishes the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the Treasury, with a separate stockpile for other federally held digital assets. It directs Treasury to acquire up to 1 million BTC, which is 5% of Bitcoin’s total supply. It also imposes a minimum 20-year holding period, with coins kept in cold storage. Purchases are to be funded through what proponents call budget-neutral strategies, including the Federal Reserve’s discretionary surplus fund and a revaluation of gold certificates. In a conversation with Fox Business , Begich stated, “When you look at gold, it is the dominant precious metal reserve. When you look at Bitcoin, it represents about 60% of all market cap for the entire crypto space,” adding that “The market has decided, in the case of gold and in the case of Bitcoin, that this will be the predominant store of value within that asset class.” How does ARMA fit with the wider crypto legislative push? ARMA goes well beyond the executive order Trump signed in March 2025, which only consolidates seized Bitcoin into a single federal stockpile. The Begich-Lummis bill would initiate active open-market purchases and bar the Treasury from selling for two decades. Representative Pat Harrigan, a co-sponsor, sees it as a fix for a custody problem already on the federal books, stating that “The United States government already holds billions in seized Bitcoin with no coherent strategy for managing it, and that needs to change.” The bill comes at a time when there is an increased push to lock crypto policy into statute before midterm campaigning consumes the legislative calendar. The Senate Banking Committee passed the CLARITY Act on May 14 in a 15-9 vote, sending the crypto market-structure bill to the floor with two Democrats, Senator Ruben Gallego and Senator Angela Alsobrooks, crossing over. Lummis had flagged a mid-June floor vote as “probably pretty optimistic,” as news broke earlier today that the Senate has gone home until June. She and Senator Bernie Moreno have warned that failure before the summer recess could push the next viable window for crypto legislation to 2030 or beyond. Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the leading opposing voices to the CLARITY Act, described it as “a bill written by the crypto industry for the crypto industry.” If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .