Greece is preparing to introduce a 10% tax on cryptocurrency gains. A draft bill released for public consultation would exempt annual capital gains of up to €500. The proposal has yet to become law and is expected to reach parliament in November.
The new framework covers gains from selling crypto assets, as well as activities such as staking and lending. It also includes separate provisions for crypto-to-crypto exchanges and the declaration of past gains.
Crypto-to-crypto exchanges would not trigger tax
According to an October 7 statement from Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance, individual investors’ capital gains would generally be calculated as the difference between purchase and sale prices. Rules would govern transaction documentation and the use of average acquisition costs for assets purchased through multiple transactions.
The draft does not treat the exchange of one crypto asset for another as a taxable capital gain. Returns from staking, lending and liquidity provision would be classified as interest income and taxed at 10%.
An earlier plan proposed a 15% rate
Greece’s preparations to tax crypto had already attracted attention. Reports on June 5, citing two government officials, indicated that authorities were working on a 15% tax.
The June plan also included a €500 exemption. The latest draft’s proposed rate of 10% is five percentage points below the previously reported level.
This change does not represent a reduction in an existing crypto tax. It reflects the difference between the earlier preparations and the current proposal.
Investors could declare past gains
The draft would also allow investors to voluntarily declare capital gains from previous crypto transactions. Those meeting the specified conditions would have 12 months from the law’s publication to submit declarations without penalties or interest.
The proposal also excludes crypto sales from the digital transaction duty. Public consultation will close on October 22, and the ministry aims to submit the bill to parliament and secure its passage in the first week of November.
Tax transparency is increasing across Europe
Greece’s proposal comes as the European Union expands tax transparency for crypto transactions. According to the European Commission, DAC8 rules, which began applying on January 1, 2026, extend automatic information exchange between countries to crypto assets.
The framework aims to ensure that information on crypto transactions reaches tax authorities and is shared among member states. It creates a broader basis for administrative cooperation in tracking income from cross-border transactions.
Under DAC8, service providers are required to report transactions involving customers residing in the European Union. The European Commission says these obligations aim to strengthen countries’ ability to combat tax evasion and avoidance.
The information-sharing framework also complements the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, known as MiCA. While MiCA establishes rules for market activities, DAC8 expands tax authorities’ access to transaction information.
However, the European Union has no unified system for taxing crypto gains. Greece’s proposal forms part of its efforts to establish a national tax framework.
According to Reuters, Greek officials say the widespread use of overseas platforms makes it difficult to estimate the size of the domestic crypto market. Authorities have yet to provide a specific projection for revenue from the proposed tax.
