Greece Approves 10% Crypto Gains Tax and 15% Levy on Staking From 2027

Greece has approved a new tax framework for cryptocurrency investors that is scheduled to take effect in January 2027. The legislation sets a 10% rate on qualifying individual crypto capital gains and a separate 15% rate for income from activities such as staking and certain decentralized-finance products. It marks a major move from uncertainty toward explicit rules for digital-asset transactions.

How the new rates and exemption work

Parliament approved the framework on November 5, according to Reuters’ report on the vote. The measure exempts investors whose net annual crypto gains do not exceed €500. Reporting on the enacted text indicates that when net gains exceed that threshold, the full qualifying gain is taxable rather than only the amount above €500. That is an important distinction when calculating potential liabilities.

The 15% rate applies to income from staking, crypto lending and providing liquidity to DeFi protocols, according to CoinDesk’s account of the new framework. Holding crypto without selling it does not automatically realize a capital gain. Selling for fiat and spending crypto to acquire goods or services can count as disposals.

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The framework also provides for losses to be carried forward in qualifying circumstances for up to five years, while a transitional window would allow investors to declare previously unreported gains without certain late-filing penalties if they meet the conditions. The rules covering crypto-to-crypto exchanges are a point to watch: reporting has noted interpretive questions in the legislation’s wording.

The government has not published a reliable revenue forecast, partly because many Greek investors use platforms based outside the country. Implementation instructions on transparency and audits are expected, and those details may matter as much as the headline tax percentages to exchanges and taxpayers.

What the change means for European crypto investors

Crypto tax rates remain a national matter inside the European Union. The EU’s MiCA regime regulates many digital-asset services and issuance activities, but it does not impose a single capital gains tax rate across member states. As a result, an investor’s tax residence and the nature of the transaction continue to determine the applicable treatment.

For Greek taxpayers, records of acquisition cost, disposal proceeds, fees and income from DeFi products could become especially important from the 2027 tax year. People who use several exchanges or self-custody wallets may face more complex cost-basis calculations than those trading through one regulated platform.

Investors should not assume that the new Greek rate applies to them merely because an exchange serves Greek customers. Nor should they assume every DeFi token reward receives the same treatment without examining the final guidance. For another example of national crypto regulation operating alongside EU rules, see TechGaged’s earlier coverage of MiCA stablecoin compliance.

Sources: Reuters; CoinDesk; Cointelegraph. This article is general reporting, not individual tax advice.