Forex Trading: Regulation Differences between Germany & UK

The act of trading FOREX (or Devisen in Germany) has exploded in recent years due to faster connection speeds, better technology, ECN's and market makers that pretty much provide anybody with a computer a link to the global financial market.

Thanks to the Electronic Communication Network (ECN) you can live in any country you want and still enjoy the tax or investment benefits of another country. Something to consider, to maximize profits, is paying the lowest amount on your taxes.

Each country has its own set of confusing tax laws, making it even more important to get expert tax help. 

Take for example in the U.K., when paying taxes on capital gains, if you make over a certain amount you are bumped up to the 50% tax rate. Because of this many U.K. residents consider giving up their residence status, to avoid the excessive taxation. Germany has an equivalent rate but it kicks in at a much higher income.

How a country's taxation laws treats Forex earnings, determines your overall success. All countries treat profits as capital gains. They can be long term gains held at least a year or short term gains which are held less than year.

You usually pay less taxes on assets held at least a year but traders don't usually hold their investments that long. The are usually taxed at the short term rate because of all the trading.

A strategy some Forex traders use is trading in a country they do not reside in. If you lived in Germany and traded in the U.K., what would be the tax implications? In Germany it doesn't matter if you trade in country or out of country. When tax time comes your will have to pay your German taxes. 

But if you traded in the U.K. it would be possible to set up off shore accounts and avoid the normal taxes owed. But when you eventually brought the income home, the taxes would have to be paid.

"The UK is a tax haven for people of foreign domicile, even if they are UK resident (residence and domicile being separate legal concepts in the UK), in that they pay no tax on foreign income so long as it is not remitted to the UK."Tax haven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you make a living on your trading, it makes sense to have your tax treatment to be the most positive. Many countries have conflicting tax laws and rules for non-residents. These countries offer different levels of financial incentives to attract new business. It would be beneficial to seek out professional tax help to be sure you're maximizing your income.


Forex is one the least known and appreciated forms of earning money. Trading in the foreign currency exchange market can be a profitable and exciting endeavor.