Staking taxation — Germany
How are staking rewards taxed in Germany?
What is staking?
Staking involves locking your crypto assets in a blockchain protocol to secure the network. In return, you receive rewards in the form of tokens.
Staking tax treatment in Germany
According to the Federal Ministry of Finance guidance of 6 March 2025, staking rewards are other income (§ 22 no. 3 EStG) taxable on receipt. They are not taxed if total income in this category stays below €256 for the year. A later sale of the tokens received then follows the 12-month rule.
Key points
Receipt
In many countries, tokens received through staking are income at their value on the day of receipt; others defer taxation until sale. Check the classification that applies in your country.
Sale
Selling staked tokens generates a capital gain calculated separately.
Cost basis
The cost basis is the euro value at the time the tokens are received.
Reporting
Report your staking income on: Anlage SO
Lending and crypto loans
Crypto lending (lending your crypto assets in exchange for interest) is fiscally similar to staking: the interest received is taxable income valued at the euro price on the day of receipt.
Yield Farming and DeFi
Yield farming (DeFi liquidity provision) generates taxable rewards. Each reward received constitutes taxable income. Withdrawing liquidity may trigger a taxable event if the pool composition has changed.