Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance published a draft bill on Wednesday that would impose a 10% tax on individuals’ cryptocurrency capital gains, while exempting annual gains of up to 500 euros.
The proposal would also let taxpayers voluntarily declare previously realized crypto gains without penalties within 12 months after the law is published. Crypto-to-crypto swaps would be excluded from capital gains tax, and returns from staking, lending or liquidity provision would face a flat 10% tax.
According to the ministry, the draft is designed to close a legislative gap in Greece’s approach to crypto taxation.
Public consultation is set to close on Oct. 22. The ministry is aiming for a parliamentary vote in the first week of November.
European countries have already moved on digital asset taxation
Several countries in Europe already have tax rules for digital assets. Austria introduced a 27.5% tax on cryptocurrency gains in March 2022. France introduced a 30% flat tax on individual crypto capital gains in December 2018.
In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Finance reportedly issued a draft proposal in September that would subject cryptocurrency trading profits to the standard 25% flat-rate tax starting in 2028. Under current German law, gains from selling crypto assets held for more than 12 months are generally tax-free for individuals.
EU tax reporting rules for crypto are widening
Greece is also among the European Union member states required to implement the bloc’s eighth amendment to the Directive on Administrative Cooperation, or DAC8. The tax transparency directive expands automatic information sharing between national authorities to include crypto transactions.
Under DAC8, crypto service providers must collect transaction data on EU users from Jan. 1, 2026, and report that information to national authorities. Those authorities must complete their first cross-border exchanges covering 2026 activity by Sept. 30, 2027.
The crypto reporting requirements under DAC8 are based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, or CARF. Greece joined a multinational commitment in November 2023 to implement CARF and begin information exchanges by 2027.