Greece drafts 15% tax on crypto gains

TLDR

Greece is preparing its first dedicated crypto tax law, currently proposing a 10 percent capital gains tax on individual crypto profits with a small annual exemption and several open details.

1. Greeces latest draft bill sets a 10 percent tax on crypto gains above a 500 euro yearly exemption, replacing an earlier 15 percent idea and remaining a proposal, not yet law.
2. The measure would tax realized gains when crypto is sold or spent, leave crypto to crypto swaps untaxed, and integrate with new EU reporting rules, tightening surveillance of investors.
3. Key uncertainties include loss treatment, wallet transfers, valuation methods, and the effective date, with public consultation and a parliamentary vote planned in late 2026.

Deep Dive

1. From 15 Percent Idea To 10 Percent Draft

Greek officials first floated a 15 percent capital gains tax on crypto in mid 2026, with a 500 euro yearly exemption. That higher rate appears in earlier Finance Ministry planning and media reports.

The draft bill now published for consultation instead proposes a flat 10 percent tax on individual crypto capital gains above the 500 euro threshold, as summarized in recent community coverage of the Greece crypto tax proposal.

It is still only a draft. Consultation runs until late October, and the ministry aims to send the bill to parliament in early November 2026, where it could be amended before any vote.

2. How The Tax Would Apply To Crypto Activity

The proposal taxes gains when crypto is disposed of, generally measured as sale or transfer price minus acquisition cost, with average cost for assets accumulated over time.

Crypto to crypto swaps would not be treated as taxable events, so changing coins without cashing out or spending them would remain untaxed under the draft. Returns from staking, lending, or liquidity provision would be taxed as interest at 10 percent, and independent solo miners would reportedly be exempt while corporate mining follows normal corporate rules.

The bill also includes a 12 month window after enactment in which taxpayers can voluntarily declare past crypto gains without penalties or interest, potentially important for Greeks with previously undeclared profits.

3. Open Questions And EU Context

The draft leaves several important technical points unclear, including how losses can be offset, whether wallet to wallet transfers inside self custody are taxed, and which valuation methods authorities will accept.

The move comes as the EUs DAC8 regime begins its first reporting year. From 2026, exchanges and other providers must collect identity and transaction data and share it among tax authorities in 2027, making it easier for Greece to enforce any new crypto tax.

Until parliament passes a final law and sets an application date, Greek investors face uncertainty about exactly when and how the new rules will bite.

Conclusion

Greece is shifting from having almost no dedicated crypto tax rules to a structured regime that taxes realized gains at a relatively low rate by EU standards. For crypto users, the headline risk is not the 10 percent figure alone but the combination of taxation, tighter data reporting under DAC8, and remaining ambiguities around loss treatment and on chain movements, which will only be resolved once parliament finalizes the law.