Greece ends years of crypto tax uncertainty with new 10% levy on Bitcoin profits

Greece has approved a 10% cryptocurrency capital gains tax and a separate 15% levy on staking and decentralized finance (DeFi) income.

The legislation, passed by parliament on Nov. 5, establishes the country's first comprehensive framework for taxing digital assets, with the new rules scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

According to Reuters, annual cryptocurrency gains of up to €500 will be exempt, while investors exceeding that threshold will face taxation on their profits.

The framework also allows qualifying losses to be carried forward for five years to offset future gains.

Under the finance ministry's October proposal, staking, lending and DeFi liquidity rewards would attract a 15% tax as interest income, separating those earnings from trading profits.

Historical proposal: October 7

The consultation proposed 10% on individuals' transfer gains, generally transfer price minus acquisition price.

Parliament's approval settles the headline framework, while the promised directives address transparency and audit rules.

The graphic does not establish commencement, filing deadlines or the operation of the exemption above €500. The panel describes an October proposal, not final enacted staking or transfer-calculation rules.

Sources and evidence

Sources

1. Reuters via Euronext, November 5
2. Finance ministry consultation, October 7

Supporting facts

• Reuters reported that Greece's parliament approved a bill imposing a 10% capital-gains tax on cryptocurrencies on November 5, 2026. [1]
• Cryptocurrency capital gains of up to €500 per year will be exempt under the approved bill, according to Reuters. [1]
• A senior finance ministry official told Reuters that implementation directives, including transparency and audit rules, would be published in the coming weeks. [1]
• The finance ministry's October 7 consultation proposal described a 10% tax on individuals' gains from transferring crypto assets, generally based on transfer price minus acquisition price. [2]
• The October ministry proposal treated returns from staking, lending and liquidity provision as interest subject to 15%, separately from the proposed 10% transfer-gains tax. [2]

Method

Qualitative milestone map, not a time scale or a probability forecast. The selectable panel contrasts activity classifications in the October 7 consultation proposal. No tax-liability calculation is made.

Scope

The graphic does not establish commencement, filing deadlines or the operation of the exemption above €500. The panel describes an October proposal, not final enacted staking or transfer-calculation rules.

Infographic by CryptoSlate

The ministry also proposed exempting crypto-to-crypto swaps from immediate taxation, although parliamentary concerns about the final wording leave their treatment unresolved.

Meanwhile, the legislation provides a 12-month window for investors to voluntarily declare cryptocurrency gains from previous years without late-filing penalties or interest, subject to specified conditions.

The measure comes as Greek authorities struggle to monitor cryptocurrency activity conducted through overseas platforms.

A senior finance ministry official reportedly said that the government could not estimate potential tax revenue because most domestic investors use foreign exchanges, making the market difficult to measure.

Further directives covering transparency requirements and tax audits are expected in the coming weeks.

Greece joins Europe's widening crypto tax divide

Greece's new rate places it among Europe's lower-tax jurisdictions for cryptocurrency investors, even as several countries have increased taxes on digital asset profits.

According to a Nov. 6 analysis by CryptoDiffer, Cyprus taxes crypto gains at 8%, while Belgium and Bulgaria apply 10% rates and Croatia charges 12%.

Other European countries have moved in the opposite direction.

Italy increased its standard cryptocurrency capital-gains tax to 33% in 2026, while Romania raised its rate to 16%. Sweden imposes a 30% capital-gains tax on qualifying crypto profits.

However, some European jurisdictions offer investors exemptions based on how long they hold their assets.

CryptoDiffer identified Germany and Portugal as exempting qualifying cryptocurrency gains after one year of holding, while Luxembourg applies a six-month threshold. Croatia offers an exemption after two years and Czechia after three.

Switzerland, Slovenia and Malta were also identified as jurisdictions where qualifying private-investor crypto gains can be exempt from capital-gains tax.

These differences reflect Europe's fragmented approach to crypto taxation, with investors facing substantially different liabilities depending on their country, holding period and classification of investment activity.