Greece is preparing legislation that would impose a 15% tax on crypto capital gains, marking the country’s first formal framework for taxing profits from digital assets. The proposal, reported by Reuters and Greek media and cited by Bitcoin Magazine, has been drafted by the Finance Ministry and is expected to reach parliament in November.
The plan would exempt the first €500, roughly $580, of crypto gains earned each year. Tax would apply to the net profit realized when crypto is sold, with trading fees deducted from the calculation. The proposed rules would not treat a swap between cryptocurrencies as a taxable disposal. For example, exchanging bitcoin for another digital asset would not itself create a tax charge.
Tax would instead arise when crypto is converted into euros or another fiat currency, or when it is used to purchase goods and services. This distinction separates transactions that remain within the crypto ecosystem from those that realize a gain in traditional money or through spending.
Losses, staking and the proposed timetable
The draft would allow investors to carry crypto losses forward for as long as five tax years. Those losses could be offset against future crypto gains, potentially reducing the taxable amount in later years.
Tokens received through staking or lending would not be taxed when they are earned under the reported proposal. Tax would be due when those assets are eventually sold. Staking generally involves committing crypto to support the operation of a blockchain, while crypto lending involves providing digital assets to another party in exchange for a return.
The legislation would apply retroactively from January 1, 2025. As a result, gains from 2025 onward would be reported through tax returns filed in 2027, if the proposal becomes law. The current material describes the measure as a draft, so its details remain subject to parliamentary consideration.
Greece’s wider crypto regulatory framework
Greece currently has no legal framework specifically governing the taxation of crypto gains. Its proposed tax rules would sit alongside the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, known as MiCA.
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission authorizes and supervises crypto-asset service providers in Greece, while the Bank of Greece is responsible for prudential oversight of stablecoin issuers. The licensing process has moved slowly: no Greek providers appeared on the European Union’s register until September, around two months after MiCA’s transitional period ended on July 1.
The EU’s DAC8 rules also increase the information available to tax authorities. Since January 2026, crypto exchanges have been required to collect detailed information on users and transactions and report it to national tax authorities, broadly matching data-reporting practices already used by banks. Greece incorporated those requirements into national law in May.
Market picture
Moneyiar data at 21:59 on October 8, 2026, showed Bitcoin at $81,627.08, down 1.81% over 24 hours and 3.44% over seven days. Cap was $0.07428, up 2.07% in 24 hours but down 5.15% over seven days. Aethir stood at $0.006347, down 4.39% daily and up 9.17% weekly, while ORDI was $4.1501, down 7.42% daily and 8.43% over seven days.
Crypto tax treatment differs substantially across the EU. Reported rates range from 8% in Cyprus to 30% in France. Germany exempts crypto held for more than one year, while Portugal applies a similar exemption after 365 days. Greece’s proposed 15% rate would therefore add a new position to a varied European tax landscape.
