Greece is moving toward codifying a 15% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency holdings and transactions, two government officials told Reuters. The measure is part of a Finance Ministry initiative to bring digital assets within the scope of the country’s tax legislation.
According to the officials, the ministry is preparing a law that is expected to be submitted to parliament in the coming months. The reported objective is explicit: to include cryptocurrencies in Greece’s tax code so that gains realized by individuals and entities in the market are subject to taxation.
The country currently lacks a comprehensive legal framework specifically governing the taxation of cryptocurrencies. As noted by the officials, European Union members do not operate under a single, harmonized tax regime for digital assets, leaving individual countries with differing approaches.
The proposed Greek rate would align with the practice in many European jurisdictions where capital gains taxes apply to cryptocurrency profits. Tax rates across EU countries vary, the officials said, ranging from 8% in Cyprus to 30% in France, with taxation commonly focused on capital gains.
Under the proposal reported by the officials, the first €500 of gains would be tax-free. The tax would not be levied on cryptocurrency mining conducted by private individuals. However, the exemption would not extend to mining performed by a registered corporate entity; in that case, the gains would be subject to the new tax.
The plan as described by the two officials remains a proposal under preparation by the Finance Ministry and would require parliamentary consideration before becoming law. Further details on implementation, reporting requirements, or transitional provisions were not provided by the officials cited.
Reporter: Hana Yamamoto
Hana Yamamoto covers consumer staples and food and beverage sectors with emphasis on pricing power and management discipline; here reporting on tax policy developments affecting digital assets.