Crypto tax in Greece: the new law, 10% and a €500 tax-free allowance
For years Greece had no rules at all for cryptocurrency. Accountants and investors borrowed the provisions for stocks, and everyone reached a different conclusion. That ended on November 5, 2026, when the Greek Parliament passed the first law that explicitly mentions crypto-assets. Here you'll find what applies, from when, how your gain is calculated and what to do about sales made before the law.
From January 1, 2027: 10% on the year's net gain, tax-free up to €500, 15% on staking rewards. Holding crypto and swapping crypto for crypto are not taxed.
The law at a glance
| Effective from | Sales from January 1, 2027. The first tax return under the new rules is filed in 2028 |
| Tax rate | 10% on the year's net gain |
| Tax-free allowance | Up to €500 of net gain per year. If you exceed it, the whole gain is taxed, from the first euro |
| When tax is due | When you sell for euros, when you pay for goods or services with crypto, when you contribute crypto to a company |
| What isn't taxed | Holding, a rise in value and swapping one crypto for another (including for a stablecoin) |
| Cost basis | The average acquisition cost of each coin, including fees. If you can't prove it, it is taken to be zero |
| Staking, lending | Taxed like interest, at 15%, on their value when you receive them |
| Deemed-income presumptions (“tekmiria”) | Buying crypto counts as an expense for the tekmiria. From a sale, only the gain covers tekmiria, not the original capital |
| Losses | A net loss above €500 is carried forward for 5 years, only against crypto gains |
| Before 2027 | Voluntary disclosure at 10% (15% for staking), with no penalties, within 12 months of the law taking effect |
What changed compared to before
Until now there was no specific provision. The prevailing view was that a crypto gain is a capital gain from the transfer of capital under Article 42 of the Greek Income Tax Code (KFE) and is taxed at 15%. Many people declared nothing, because no one knew for sure whether and how they had to. The solidarity contribution, which used to add an extra charge, was abolished in 2023.
The new law adds a specific article on crypto-assets to the Income Tax Code (42B) and sets a 10% rate in Article 43. The rate is lower than the old one. But there is now a clear obligation, and the tax office will get your data from the exchanges, as we explain below.
How the gain is calculated
The taxable gain on each sale is the sale price minus the cost of the coins you sold. The cost is worked out with the average acquisition cost: you add up everything you paid for a coin, including fees, and divide it by the quantity you bought.
Example. You buy 1 ETH for €2,000 and later another 1 ETH for €3,000. Your average acquisition cost is €2,500 per ETH. In 2027 you sell 1 ETH for €4,000. Your gain is €1,500 and the tax is €150. The ETH you have left keeps a cost of €2,500 for your next sale.
At the end of the year you add up gains and losses from all coins and all platforms. If the net result is up to €500, you pay nothing. If it is €501, you pay €50.10, because the tax-free allowance is not a deduction but a threshold: above it, the whole gain is taxed.
Special cases
Crypto-to-crypto swaps and stablecoins
When you trade BTC for ETH or USDC, you aren't taxed at that moment. The cost basis carries over to the new coin, and the tax comes when you finally sell for euros. This also applies to stablecoins: converting USDC to euros is a sale.
Paying with crypto
If you pay for a laptop with ETH, the law treats it as if you sold the ETH for the laptop's value. The difference from their cost is a gain.
Staking, lending, DeFi
Rewards from staking, from lending crypto and from providing liquidity or earning yield on decentralized protocols (DeFi) are taxed like interest, at 15%, on their euro value at the moment you receive them. That same value becomes their cost basis. If you later sell them for more, the difference is taxed at 10% like any other sale.
Mining
For an individual who isn't running a business, mined coins have a cost basis of zero. When they are sold, their entire value counts as gain. Anyone who mines as a business is taxed under the rules for businesses.
Companies
Nothing substantial changes for legal entities. Crypto gains are part of their business profit and are taxed at the corporate tax rate.
Losses
If a year ends with a net loss above €500, you carry it forward for the next 5 years and offset it against future crypto gains. It can't be offset against salary, rental income or stock gains. To keep it, you must declare it in the year it occurred.
Deemed-income presumptions (“tekmiria”)
From 2027, buying cryptocurrency counts among asset acquisition expenses, like buying a car or a property. The money you put in must be covered by declared income.
When you sell, only the gain covers tekmiria. The part of the amount that is a return of your original capital can't justify new purchases or expenses.
Inheritances, gifts, parental gifts
From January 1, 2027, cryptocurrency passed on by inheritance, gift or parental gift is subject to the corresponding tax. The value on which that tax was calculated (or an exemption was granted) becomes the cost basis for the person receiving it.
Crypto sales are also exempt from the Digital Transaction Fee, retroactively from December 1, 2024.
Sales before 2027
The law doesn't apply the new rules retroactively. It does, however, offer an opportunity to those who sold at a gain in previous years and didn't declare it: voluntary disclosure.
- It must be made within 12 months of the law taking effect.
- Gains are taxed at 10% and staking rewards at 15%.
- The tax is paid within 60 days, with no penalties or surcharges.
- The declared gain justifies tekmiria, for example buying a house or a car with crypto money. The original capital you had invested doesn't count.
The text of the provision doesn't mention a €500 tax-free allowance for this disclosure. If you have gains from past sales, it's a good idea to discuss with an accountant whether it works in your favor.
The tax office will have the data
From 2026, EU exchanges record their customers' transactions and send them to the tax authorities under the European DAC8 directive. The first submission, covering 2026 transactions, is due by September 30, 2027. AADE (Greece's Independent Authority for Public Revenue) will know what you bought and what you sold, so your tax return must match that data. MiCA-licensed platforms, like those in our exchange comparison, provide the detailed statements you will need.
What we don't know yet
- The law's number and Government Gazette (FEK) issue. The law has been passed but not yet published.
- The Form E1 codes. The old codes many people used (capital gains from securities) don't fit the new regime. New ones will be issued by an AADE decision.
- The voluntary disclosure procedure. Where and how it is filed will be set by a decision.
We'll update this article as soon as they are out.
What to do now
- Download your transaction statements from every exchange you've used, for all years. Without proof, your cost basis is taken to be zero.
- Calculate the average acquisition cost of each coin you hold.
- Keep records of your staking: the date and value of each reward.
- If you sold at a gain before 2027, consider voluntary disclosure.
- Watch the €500 threshold before the end of each year.
Calculate your tax
With the free crypto tax calculator, you enter your purchases, sales and staking and see the average acquisition cost, the gain and the tax for each year, along with the losses carried forward. For ETFs and other investment products, see our guide to taxation of crypto and ETFs.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay tax if I just hold crypto?
No. Neither holding nor a rise in price is taxed. Tax applies when you sell for euros or pay with crypto.
Do I have to declare the crypto I bought?
The money you spend on purchases counts toward that year's tekmiria, like any asset purchase, so it must be justified by declared income. The exact codes for crypto-assets will be set by an AADE decision.
Does it apply to exchanges outside Greece?
Yes. The tax applies to Greek tax residents, wherever the transaction took place.
Is the €500 tax-free allowance per coin?
No. It applies to the year's total net gain from all cryptocurrencies and all platforms.
This article explains the law as passed on November 5, 2026, and is not tax advice. For your tax return, consult an accountant.