Greece is preparing to introduce a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency profits, seeking to close a longstanding gap in its tax legislation as governments across Europe tighten oversight of digital assets.
A draft bill published for public consultation proposes taxing gains made by individuals from transferring or selling cryptocurrencies, while exempting annual profits of up to 500 euro.
The finance ministry said the new framework would provide greater certainty over the tax treatment of crypto assets. Greece currently lacks a comprehensive legal framework for taxing cryptocurrency gains, leaving uncertainty over how such transactions should be treated under existing income tax rules.
The proposed legislation would establish specific provisions for calculating taxable profits and documenting transactions.
Under the draft, taxable gains would generally be calculated as the difference between an asset’s acquisition cost and its transfer price. Rules would also govern the calculation of average acquisition costs when investors purchase cryptocurrencies in multiple transactions.
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The ministry has not provided a revenue forecast, however, citing difficulties in estimating the size of Greece’s cryptocurrency market.
A significant proportion of local investors use trading platforms based outside the country, complicating efforts to assess activity and potential tax receipts, according to Reuters.
The proposal also distinguishes between selling digital assets and earning returns from activities involving them. Income from cryptocurrency staking, lending and liquidity provision would be taxed at 10% as interest income.
Staking involves committing certain crypto assets to support the validation of transactions on blockchain networks in return for rewards, while lending and liquidity provision allow investors to earn income by making their assets available to other participants.
Another provision would prevent exchanges of one cryptocurrency for another from generating a taxable capital gain.
This could reduce the immediate tax burden on investors who switch between digital assets without converting their holdings into conventional currency.
The draft also addresses the valuation of crypto assets received as benefits by employees, partners or shareholders.
The proposed rules would additionally allow individuals to declare previously realised cryptocurrency gains voluntarily without penalties within 12 months of the law’s publication, according to Cointelegraph.
The provision could give investors an opportunity to regularise past transactions as the country moves towards a formal tax regime. The final scope and implementation of the rules will depend on the legislation adopted.
Greece’s move comes amid a broader European effort to improve transparency in digital asset markets. However, the European Union does not have a single, harmonised cryptocurrency capital gains tax rate.
Rates and exemptions vary between member states, reflecting differences in national tax systems. Reported rates range from about 8% in Cyprus to 30% in France, although the applicable treatment depends on the country and the circumstances of the investor.
Separately, the EU’s eighth Directive on Administrative Cooperation, known as DAC8, extends tax information reporting and automatic exchange arrangements to crypto-asset transactions.
Crypto service providers are required to collect information on EU users from January 1, 2026, with the first exchanges between tax authorities covering 2026 activity due by September 30, 2027.
The framework is intended to give authorities greater visibility into transactions that have frequently taken place through international platforms.
For Greece, the proposed tax would mark a significant change from the existing uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrency profits.
A defined rate, exemption threshold and calculation methodology would give investors clearer rules while providing tax authorities with a formal basis for assessing gains.
The immediate impact on government finances remains unclear.
Much will depend on the number of investors who declare their holdings, the value of taxable transactions and the effectiveness of cross-border reporting.
Parliamentary approval and the final wording of the law will determine when the new regime takes effect and how its provisions are applied.