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The German opposition party, Alternative for Germany, is demanding that the German government exempt bitcoin from the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation.
Arguments for Special BTC Status
The German opposition party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), has escalated its stance on bitcoin ( BTC) by filing a motion in the Bundestag (Parliament) calling for two key actions. First, the party wants the German government to exempt BTC from the European Union (EU)’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation during its national implementation. It also wants the government to officially recognize the cryptocurrency as a “strategic asset.”
The AfD argues that bitcoin is uniquely distinct from other cryptocurrencies, stating that its decentralization, censorship-resistance, and limited availability give it “many great qualities” that the MiCA regime was not designed for.
The party warned that “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 motion was reportedly formally submitted on October 23.
In addition to regulatory reform, the AfD revealed it submitted a separate motion on Oct 14, which explicitly urged the federal government to begin accumulating BTC as part of its long-term reserve strategy.
The party also criticized the German government’s decision to sell nearly 50,000 bitcoins that had been seized from criminals, arguing that this decision prevented Germany from maintaining its position among countries with significant BTC holdings. The AfD, alongside “many others,” is now demanding that the government reverse course and start accumulating the digital asset again.
The AfD’s push aligns with a growing trend among European political parties and opposition figures recognizing bitcoin’s strategic potential. As reported by Bitcoin.com News, the French opposition party UDR recently tabled a bill calling for the creation of a strategic BTC reserve. In Poland, libertarian presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen plans to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve if elected.
Meanwhile, the AfD characterized its motions as representing a significant political effort to redefine BTC’s place in Germany’s economic and regulatory future.
FAQ
- Why does the AfD want to exempt bitcoin from MiCA? The German opposition party argues that Bitcoin’s unique qualities, like decentralization and limited supply, make MiCA overregulation a threat to Germany’s digital sovereignty.
- What does the AfD want Germany to do with its bitcoin holdings? The AfD is demanding that the German government stop selling and start accumulating BTC again as part of a long-term strategic national reserve.
- What term is the AfD using to classify bitcoin? The party is calling for the German government to officially recognize Bitcoin as a “strategic asset” due to its potential economic importance.
- Are other parties in Europe making similar proposals? Yes, both the opposition UDR party in France and a libertarian candidate in Poland have also recently proposed creating national strategic BTC reserves.