German Firms Divided: Crypto Payments—Revolution or Risky Gamble?

Berlin’s boardrooms are buzzing—but not everyone’s buying the hype. While some German corporations race to integrate crypto payments, others clutch their euros like life rafts. Here’s why the divide matters.

The Crypto Evangelists

Forward-thinking firms—think fintech disruptors and export-heavy manufacturers—are stacking satoshis alongside euros. Tax efficiency? Check. Borderless B2B? Double-check. One logistics CEO quipped, 'Fiat feels fax-machine slow next to Lightning Network.'

The Skeptics’ Camp

Traditionalists cite volatility nightmares and regulatory whiplash. A Frankfurt banker sneered, 'We’ll accept Bitcoin when the ECB starts printing memecoins.' Ouch. Meanwhile, Mittelstand manufacturers worry about crypto’s carbon footprint—ironic, given their diesel fleets.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t just about payments—it’s a culture war. Adoption could give Germany a 5-year edge in digital commerce. Resistance? A fast track to becoming Europe’s analog museum. Either way, hedge funds win—they’re shorting both sides.

German firms undecided on crypto as payment tool

The share of German companies accepting and spending cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) is still quite small, but many more think crypto payments will grow in the coming years, according to a new survey, carried out by the industry organization Bitkom.

Almost half of the respondents, or 48%, believe payments with crypto will be common 10 years from now. Yet, only 2% are currently using them, and six out of a hundred are open to the option, the German crypto news outlet BTC Echo reported on Wednesday.

A total of 602 entities, employing at least 20 people, have participated in the poll conducted by telephone between early March and mid-April, this year.

A sizable majority (86%) do not plan to start accepting cryptocurrencies in the NEAR future, citing high price volatility, risks of fraud, legal uncertainty, and lack of knowledge among the main reasons for their reserved attitude.

Nevertheless, the study found that 12% of large companies, those with at least 500 employees, are considering the digital assets as a payment method, the authors noted. Frederic Meyer, a blockchain consultant working for Bitkom, remarked:

“There is interest in blockchain and cryptocurrencies in the economy – particularly in the financial sector, concrete applications are currently making noticeable progress.”

Founded in Berlin right before the turn of the century, the Bitkom association now represents over 2,200 firms involved in Germany’s digital economy.

Among its members are more than 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, over 500 startups, half the 40 DAX companies, including global players, its website details.

MiCA to shape future of crypto in Germany and Europe

The future of cryptocurrencies and businesses built around them in Europe as a whole, not just the Federal Republic of Germany, will be largely determined by the implementation of the EU’s new Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) law.

The adoption of the unified regulation in the European Union has been welcomed by representatives of the crypto sector as it seeks to standardize rules for digital asset activities and allows businesses to operate across the 27-strong bloc with a single license.

Major crypto firms have already applied or acquired one in an EU member state. Last month, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, OKX, launched fully regulated trading platforms in Germany and neighboring Poland after obtaining MiCA authorization.

The new regulations, which concern the issuance, custody, trading, and disclosure of crypto assets, have also posed challenges for market participants. Europe’s top bitcoin ATM operator, Austria-based Kurant, recently halted services in Germany to prepare for the MiCA requirements.

Authorities in Berlin have so far maintained a generally positive regulatory approach regarding crypto, including by offering a tax exemption for investors who hold Bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH) or other cryptocurrencies for more than a year.

In April, the parties forming the new federal government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz dropped a proposal to raise the tax on crypto investments, by removing the one-year holding period, from their coalition agreement ahead of taking office in May 2025.

Bitkom’s Frederic Meyer suggested that Germany’s newly established Digital Ministry should appoint staff to focus specifically on the blockchain sector and even set up a dedicated department. “Only this way can business and the society tap into the technology’s potential,” the blockchain expert insisted.

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