Bitcoin Magazine

Greece Approves 10% Crypto Capital Gains Tax as First Framework Lands Below Draft Rate

Greece’s parliament approved on Thursday a bill that imposes a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies, the first comprehensive legal framework for taxing crypto assets in the country.

Cryptocurrency capital gains of up to €500 ($563) a year will be exempt from the new tax, the bill says. For bitcoin holders in Greece, that threshold is a small buffer, not a carve-out for larger positions.

“Further implementation directives will be published in the coming weeks, which will also define transparency and audit rules,” a senior finance ministry official told Reuters.

An earlier draft circulated in October had floated a 15% rate. The version lawmakers passed lands five points lower, while keeping the €500 annual exemption that was already in that proposal.

The tax is set to apply from Jan. 1, 2027, Greek coverage of the finance ministry bill says. It is levied on the net gain — the difference between the acquisition price and the transfer price — not on the full sale proceeds. Trading fees and other costs tied to the deal can factor into that calculation.

A taxable transfer is not limited to selling for euros. Using cryptocurrency to buy goods or services, or contributing it to cover or increase company capital, can also crystallize a gain under the new rules. That matters for anyone in Greece who pays a merchant in bitcoin rather than converting first.

Simply holding bitcoin while its euro value rises does not, by itself, create a tax bill.

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