Germany Moves to Seize Assets of Unclear Origin From January 2027

Azar Wealth names the four documents that make gold and diamonds audit-proof. First reading of the Customs Financial Justice Act in the Bundestag.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, October 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The German Bundestag held the first reading of the Customs Financial Justice Act (Zollfinanzgerechtigkeitsgesetz) on October 9. The debate lasted half an hour before the government bill went to the Finance Committee. The planned effective date is January 1, 2027.

The act allows German customs and sixteen state authorities to freeze assets worth more than 100,000 euros for up to 180 days when there are factual indications that their origin is unclear. The federal states are asking for a period of twelve months. The law does not require a purchase receipt. A gross mismatch between income and wealth counts as an indication. In their statement, the states explicitly mention older acquisitions, inheritances and gifts.

How quickly an origin turns into a story is on display in Geneva right now. On November 10, Christie's will auction the Bulgari Pink, a 24.00 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond held by the same European noble family for more than seventy years. According to family tradition, the rough stone was bought in India in the 1950s. The auction house does not mention an invoice. For a sale in Geneva that is enough, provenance is a selling point there. For a review in Germany after January 1, 2027, the same stone would be a case with open questions.

"The simplest case a review can meet is a stone with an invoice, proof of payment, a grading report and a custody certificate, all four carrying the same number," says Jonah Azar, founder of Azar Wealth and member of the Dubai Diamond Exchange. "The laser inscription in the stone appears on the invoice and in the report. The bank statement shows where the money came from. The custody certificate shows where the stone has been held, since when and in whose name. There is nothing left to assume."

Azar Wealth delivers every asset with these four documents. For colored diamonds the report is a GIA certificate, for gold and silver it is the bar list with serial numbers. The file is available to clients digitally and can be presented in full when required.

Before entering the diamond trade, Azar traded bonds. He describes the difference this way: "A securities account is transparent to the authorities, so nobody asks where it came from. A physical asset is not. Whoever holds gold, jewelry or stones has to create that transparency themselves. Before January 1 that is paperwork. After January 1 it is a procedure."

For assets bought in cash years ago or inherited, the invoice is often missing for good. Then the chain matters: estate inventory, certificate of inheritance, deed of gift, old insurance policies, repair receipts, dated photographs and a current appraisal that describes the item unambiguously. Each of these papers shows that the asset was in the family long before any present day suspicion.

Azar Wealth has been following the legislative process for weeks in its weekly briefing for clients and readers. The current German language issue, "Können Sie es beweisen?", is freely available.

About Azar Wealth

Azar Wealth is a house for wealth preservation based in Dubai. The company sources physical gold, silver and GIA certified colored diamonds for private clients from German speaking countries directly at the trading centers, arranges custody in high security vaults outside the banking system and works with law firm partners on three continents on structures, relocation and succession. Founder Jonah Azar is a member of the Dubai Diamond Exchange.

Press material and the full press contact are available on the company website.

Niko Fischbach
Azar Wealth
+1 505 520 1600
presse@azarwealth.com