Greece has published a draft law that would tax individuals' gains from crypto-assets at a flat 10%. The Ministry of National Economy and Finance released the text for public consultation on 7 October 2026, and comments are open until 10:00 on 22 October 2026. The ministry says it wants the bill introduced and voted on in parliament in the first week of November.
The draft is a proposal, not law. Its terms can change during consultation and in parliament. If it passes in its current form, it would give Greece its first dedicated set of rules for taxing crypto, an area where the ministry says the existing law leaves a gap.
The rate is lower than earlier reports suggested. In June 2026, Reuters reported that two government officials said Greece was preparing a 15% capital gains tax on crypto.
Key takeaways
- The draft would tax individuals' capital gains from transferring crypto-assets at 10%.
- Gains of up to €500 per tax year would not be taxed.
- Swapping one crypto-asset for another would not create a taxable gain.
- Income from staking, lending and providing liquidity would be taxed as interest at 10%.
- People who sold crypto before the law takes effect would get 12 months to declare past gains without fines or interest.
What the draft would tax
The crypto rules sit inside a much larger bill. According to the ministry's announcement, the main crypto provisions are as follows.
| Item | Draft rule |
|---|---|
| Tax rate on individuals' gains | 10% |
| Tax-free amount | Gains up to €500 per tax year are not taxed |
| How the gain is measured | Difference between the transfer price and the acquisition cost, with rules on supporting documents |
| Several purchases of the same asset | Average acquisition cost |
| Crypto-to-crypto swaps | Not a taxable event |
| Staking, lending and liquidity income | Taxed as interest at 10% |
| Crypto paid to employees, partners or shareholders | Valued in euros at the time of acquisition |
| Crypto purchases and deemed income rules | Count as asset acquisition spending for Greece's lifestyle-based income indicators |
| Inheritance and gifts | Crypto treated as intangible movable property located abroad, valued the day before the tax liability arises |
| Digital transaction fee | Not charged on crypto sales |
| Past sales | Voluntary declaration within 12 months of publication, with no fines or interest, under conditions set in the bill |
Two items stand out for active investors. The swap rule means that moving from one token to another would not, by itself, create a tax bill under the draft. Tax would apply to gains on other transfers, such as a sale of crypto for euros. The treatment of staking and lending as interest means yield-generating activity would be taxed at the same 10% rate as gains.
The deemed income point matters for residents. Greece uses spending-based indicators to check whether declared income is plausible. Under the draft, money spent buying crypto would count toward those indicators, in the same way as other asset purchases.
How the 10% rate compares
The draft rate sits at the lower end of the range in Europe. Reuters reported in June that crypto taxes across Europe run from 8% in Cyprus to 30% in France, usually applied to capital gains, according to a Reuters report carried by Kitco. That same report said officials expected a 15% rate and a €500 exemption, and that individual mining would not be taxed. The October draft keeps a €500 tax-free amount but lowers the rate to 10%.
Officials also told Reuters that the size of the Greek crypto market is hard to measure, because most investors use platforms based outside the country. That is changing. Under the EU's DAC8 directive, crypto platforms have collected data on users' tax residence and transactions since 1 January 2026, and Greece is in the group of countries due to exchange this data from 2027. Our DAC8 explainer covers how that works.
The rest of the bill
Most of the bill is not about crypto. Its core is a new framework for private debt. It would set up a standard procedure for borrowers to reach settlements with creditors, require creditors to propose a sustainable arrangement before an auction, and tighten the supervision and public disclosure duties of loan servicers. It also covers capital markets supervision, the transposition of several EU directives, and other measures such as mandatory electronic payment for courier deliveries.
What it could mean for residents and people moving to Greece
Greek tax residents are generally taxed on their worldwide income, so the new rules would apply to crypto gains made by residents through foreign platforms as well as Greek ones.
Several questions are not answered by the ministry's summary. It does not say how the crypto rules would interact with Greece's special regimes for new residents, such as the €100,000-a-year flat tax on foreign income for high-net-worth individuals or the 7% regime for foreign pensioners. It also does not give a start date for the main income tax provisions. Those points may become clearer in the final text.
For people weighing a move to Greece, for example through the Greek golden visa, the draft adds a new factor to compare against other countries' rules. Our overview of non-dom and special tax regimes in Europe and our guide to crypto taxes when you move abroad cover the wider context. How a move affects crypto that was bought earlier depends on the rules of both the old and the new country.
What happens next
The consultation closes on 22 October 2026. The ministry will then review comments and submit the bill to parliament, where it aims for a vote in early November. Changes are possible at both stages. Until the law is passed and published, the current rules continue to apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 10% crypto tax law in Greece yet?
No. As of 10 October 2026, it is a draft bill in public consultation. The ministry plans to bring it to parliament in November 2026, and its terms could change before then.
Would crypto-to-crypto swaps be taxed under the draft?
No. According to the ministry, exchanging one crypto-asset for another would not create a taxable gain. The 10% tax would apply to gains on other transfers, such as selling crypto for euros.
What would happen to crypto gains made before the law?
The draft gives individuals 12 months from the law's publication to declare gains from past sales voluntarily, without fines or interest, under conditions set out in the bill.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.