Greece plans a 15% tax on crypto gains

Greece moves to write crypto into its tax code

Greece is preparing legislation to impose a 15% capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies, according to two government officials with knowledge of the matter who spoke to Reuters. The move, driven by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, aims to integrate digital assets into the country's formal tax framework, which currently lacks a comprehensive legal regime for crypto taxation.

A second official confirmed the plan, adding that the first €500 (roughly $580) of gains will be tax-free. The tax will not apply to individual cryptocurrency mining, but will apply if the entity mining is registered as a corporation. A senior government official told Reuters that the Finance Ministry expects to submit the law to parliament in the coming months.

Where Greece sits in the European landscape

Greece currently has no comprehensive legal framework for taxing cryptocurrencies, and EU countries do not have a unified taxation system for the sector. Across the EU, crypto taxation remains fragmented, with rates ranging from 8% in Cyprus to 30% in France, typically applied to capital gains. Greece's proposed 15% rate falls within this spectrum.

Under the draft bill, the flat 15% rate applies to net crypto profits, and losses can be offset against gains in the same year and carried forward for up to five years. The legislation would give Greece one of the clearer regulatory positions on digital assets among southern European nations, moving the country away from a system where, as one official put it, "the aim is to include cryptocurrencies in the country's tax code."

Sources:
Global Banking and Finance: Greece Plans 15% Tax on Cryptocurrency Gains, Sources Say
Athens Times: Greece Plans 15% Crypto Tax
TradingView/Reuters: Greece to Tax Gains from Crypto, Sources Say