Greece Approves 10% Crypto Gains Tax and 15% DeFi Levy Starting 2027

Greece has formally approved a legislative package introducing a 10% tax on cryptocurrency capital gains and a 15% levy on decentralized finance income, with both rules scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Bitcoin.com, Decrypt, and KuCoin reported the legislative approval, which occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026. The new regulations stem from a wider Finance Ministry package addressing debt servicing, financial oversight, and government accounting, following an October 2026 public consultation noted by Decrypt and KuCoin. The finalized 10% capital gains rate is lower than the 15% levy initially discussed by Greek officials in June 2026, according to Decrypt.

What are the specific tax rates and thresholds?

The legislation applies a 10% capital gains tax to annual net cryptocurrency capital gains that exceed €500, which is approximately $560 according to Bitcoin.com or $557 according to Decrypt. Bitcoin.com and Decrypt reported that once this €500 threshold is exceeded, the entire taxable gain is subject to the levy rather than just the portion above €500. Additionally, a separate 15% levy applies to returns generated from crypto lending, liquidity provision, yield farming, and blockchain transaction validation, as reported by Bitcoin.com, Decrypt, and KuCoin. For taxpayers facing losses, the rules allow annual net cryptocurrency losses exceeding €500 to be carried forward for five years to offset future capital gains.

What provisions exist for past gains and asset transfers?

The framework includes a 12-month voluntary disclosure window providing investors an opportunity to report previously unreported crypto gains and qualifying income earned prior to the new rules. Bitcoin.com and Decrypt noted that taxpayers who use this window can avoid late-filing penalties and interest if their tax is paid within 60 days of filing. Cryptocurrency sales are entirely exempt from Greece's digital transaction tax, according to Bitcoin.com. Furthermore, Bitcoin.com reported that holdings received through inheritance, gifts, and parental transfers feature clarified valuation rules based on recognized trading platform prices.

How are crypto-to-crypto swaps taxed?

The tax treatment of crypto-to-crypto swaps remains subject to differing interpretations within the government framework. While the Finance Ministry indicated that exchanging one cryptocurrency for another will not trigger capital gains taxes, the Greek parliament’s Scientific Service warned that the bill's broad wording covering disposals made "for consideration" could potentially encompass token-to-token trades, according to Bitcoin.com and Decrypt. KuCoin similarly reported that the regulatory framework currently leaves crypto-to-crypto swaps unclassified.

What is the expected revenue impact?

Greek officials cannot reliably estimate how much revenue the taxes will generate because most Greek investors use foreign trading platforms, making the domestic market difficult to measure, according to a senior Finance Ministry official quoted anonymously by Reuters and cited by Bitcoin.com and Decrypt. The official also stated that further implementation directives defining transparency and audit rules will be published by the Finance Ministry in the coming weeks.