Greece's government published a draft bill on Thursday introducing a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies, trimming the 15% rate two anonymous officials had signaled to Reuters in June, the news agency reported.

The draft exempts crypto gains of up to €500 (about $560) per year. The government scheduled the bill for submission to the Greek parliament in November, after a public consultation period.

What does the draft bill propose?

Greece currently lacks a comprehensive legal framework for taxing digital assets. Officials told Reuters the country's crypto market is very difficult to size, because most Greek investors transact on platforms based outside the country. The Ministry of Finance has not released a revenue projection for the proposed levy, leaving the fiscal impact uncertain for an asset class that has operated in a domestic reporting vacuum.

One of the two officials Reuters cited in June said individual crypto mining would not be taxed, while registered companies engaged in mining would face the levy. The published bill text will determine whether that carve-out survives intact through parliamentary review.

How does the rate compare with other EU jurisdictions?

The European Union has not harmonized crypto taxation, leaving member states to set their own rates. A law firm analysis cited by Reuters outlines the current patchwork:

• Cyprus: flat 8% on crypto gains for individuals and companies, effective January 1
• Ireland: 33% on crypto gains
• Italy: 33%, up from 26% at the start of this year
• Spain: progressive rates of up to 28%, applied as savings income
• Germany: gains on crypto held more than one year are exempt
• Netherlands: a presumed return on assets, not realized gains

A 10% rate would place Greece below most of the bloc's largest economies but above Cyprus's 8% floor, putting Athens in the middle of the EU distribution. The reduction from the floated 15% brings the country closer to Cyprus's competitive end of the table, a positioning consistent with Athens's recent push to attract digital-asset service providers.

What enforcement infrastructure is already in place?

EU rules known as DAC8 took effect January 1, requiring crypto-asset service providers to collect transaction data on EU-resident users. National tax authorities exchange that information through 2025 — the directive's first reporting period — according to the European Commission.

The framework gives Greek authorities a direct channel into user-level activity at exchanges operating inside the bloc, even as domestic platforms remain limited. That data pipeline operates independently of whether Athens enacts the proposed levy on schedule.

Exchanges serving Greek clients will face compliance obligations regardless of the bill's passage, because reporting obligations under DAC8 attach to the service provider's licensing jurisdiction, not the customer's tax residence. That infrastructure reduces the practical risk of non-compliance for any tax rate Athens ultimately selects.

What's next for the Greek bill?

Public consultation on the draft runs before the November submission window. Parliamentary committees will then consider amendments before any vote. If enacted in current form, the tax would take effect from a date to be specified in the final text, with reporting obligations likely aligned to DAC8 timelines already in force across the EU.

Outside the bloc, the UK has signaled it will defer capital gains tax on DeFi lending and liquidity-pool deposits. HMRC data cited by Reuters shows 240 UK crypto millionaires booked more than half of the country's taxable crypto gains, underscoring how a narrow cohort of holders drives reported taxable returns in retail-facing jurisdictions.

For Greek residents, the practical consequence of the bill — if passed — is the end of an effective zero-rate regime on retail crypto gains, replaced by a flat 10% levy administered alongside the DAC8 data flow that begins its first reporting cycle this year.