Greece proposes 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency

Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance has proposed a draft bill establishing a 10% capital gains tax on individual cryptocurrency profits, featuring a 500-euro annual exemption. The proposed rate is lower than the 15% rate previously floated by officials. The bill, open for public consultation until October 22, 2026, also introduces a 10% tax on staking and lending income, a 12-month voluntary disclosure window for past gains, and aligns Greece with EU DAC8 reporting standards.

Proposed tax rate and timeline

• ▪The Greek cryptocurrency tax draft bill is open for public consultation until October 22, 2026, with the government aiming for a parliamentary vote in November 2026
• ▪Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance published a draft bill on October 7, 2026, proposing a 10% capital gains tax on individuals' cryptocurrency gains
• ▪Greece's proposed 10% cryptocurrency capital gains tax rate is lower than the 15% rate government officials floated to Reuters in June 2026

Specific rules and exemptions

• ▪Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance's draft bill exempts cryptocurrency-to-cryptocurrency swaps from capital gains tax and removes the Digital Transaction Fee on crypto sales starting December 1, 2026
• ▪The proposed Greek legislation exempts annual net cryptocurrency capital gains of up to 500 euros from the 10% tax
• ▪Under the proposed Greek rules, cryptocurrency losses above 500 euros can be carried forward for up to five years to offset future crypto gains, but not other income

International reporting standards

• ▪Greece committed in November 2023 to implement the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, aiming to begin automatic information exchanges by 2027
• ▪Greece is required to implement the European Union's DAC8 directive, which mandates that cryptocurrency service providers collect transaction data on EU users starting January 1, 2026

Cryptocurrency taxes in other European nations

• ▪Austria introduced a 27.5% tax on cryptocurrency gains in March 2022, while Germany generally exempts gains on crypto assets held for more than 12 months
• ▪Cryptocurrency tax rates across European nations vary widely, with Cyprus imposing a flat 8% tax, France a 30% flat tax, and Italy and Ireland taxing gains at 33%

Debatable claims

• ▪Greece's proposed tax on cryptocurrency capital gains is justified
• ▪Greece's 500-euro cryptocurrency tax exemption threshold is too low
• ▪Treating unproven cryptocurrency acquisition costs as zero is overly punitive
• ▪A 10% tax rate on cryptocurrency gains is too lenient