Greece drafts new tax on crypto gains

TLDR

Greece is preparing a draft law to tax individual crypto capital gains at 10% with a small annual exemption, but it is not yet in force.

1. The draft sets a 10% tax on realized crypto gains above 500 euros per year and leaves crypto-to-crypto swaps untaxed.
2. The proposal would apply when crypto is converted to fiat or spent, and it sits on the lower end of EU crypto tax rates.
3. The bill is under public consultation and due in parliament, so Greek crypto users should expect changes and tighter reporting under EU rules.

Deep Dive

1. What Greece Is Proposing

Greeces Ministry of National Economy and Finance has published a draft bill to impose a 10% capital gains tax on individuals cryptocurrency profits, exempting the first 500 euros of gains each year, according to multiple reports and a policy summary on 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency.

The tax would apply to realized gains when crypto is sold for euros or other fiat, or used directly to buy goods and services; gains are generally calculated as sale price minus acquisition cost, using average cost for assets bought in stages. Crypto-to-crypto swaps (for example, exchanging BTC for ETH) would not count as taxable events under the proposal.

Earlier this year officials floated a 15% rate, but the current draft for consultation uses 10% and keeps the 500-euro exemption. The bill is not yet law and could change before or during parliamentary debate.

2. Scope, Rate, And EU Context

The draft focuses on individuals capital gains. Staking, lending and liquidity returns would be taxed as interest at the same 10% rate, while crypto sales would avoid Greeces separate digital transaction fee, as summarized in the ministry-focused analysis on DAC8 reporting rules.

A 10% levy would sit at the lower end of EU crypto tax rates, where many peers range roughly from 8% to 30%; countries like France and Italy are considering or applying rates above 25%. Unlike some French proposals that treat certain stablecoin conversions as taxable, Greeces draft leaves crypto-to-crypto exchanges untaxed and concentrates on fiat exits.

Separately, EU DAC8 requires exchanges and other providers to collect detailed identity and transaction data from January 1, 2026, with the first cross-border information exchange due in 2027. That framework makes it easier for Greek tax authorities to see residents crypto activity, including on foreign platforms.

3. Timeline And Practical Implications

The draft law is currently in public consultation, with the ministry aiming to send it to parliament and seek a vote as early as November. Details such as loss carry-forward, treatment of older transactions and edge cases (gifts, inheritance, employee grants) are being refined in the legislative text.

Because most Greek investors reportedly use foreign platforms, enforcement will likely rely heavily on DAC8 data and domestic self-reporting. If the bill passes, Greek residents will need clear records of acquisition prices, sale prices and dates to calculate taxable gains and to apply the 500-euro exemption correctly.

Conclusion

Greece is moving from a legal vacuum toward a defined, relatively low 10% tax on crypto capital gains, focused on fiat exits and small-gain exemptions. The draft could still change, but combined with EU-wide DAC8 reporting, it signals a future where Greek crypto activity is more tightly monitored, and cashing out or spending coins becomes a clearly taxable event.

Confidence: moderate because the proposal is officially published as a draft but not yet voted into law.