If an individual buys and sells cryptocurrency occasionally, not as a business activity, the gains are generally not explicitly subject to capital gains tax under the current framework, as crypto is not listed under the specific types of assets (e.g., shares, securities) that attract capital gains tax (which is 15% for transfers of securities and shares).

Important Caveat: This interpretation can be complex. If the activity is deemed regular, organized, or substantial enough to constitute a "business activity," the individual would be considered a professional trader and subject to income tax (see below). The distinction between "sporadic" and "business activity" is crucial and often determined on a case-by-case basis by tax authorities.

If an individual or a company engages in crypto trading as a regular business activity (e.g., frequent buying/selling with a profit motive, mining, staking, providing crypto services), then any profits derived are considered business income.

Corporate Income Tax: For legal entities (companies), profits from crypto activities are subject to the standard corporate income tax rate, which is currently 22%.

Individual Income Tax (Professional Traders): For individuals deemed professional traders, profits are subject to the progressive individual income tax rates, ranging from 9% to 44%, depending on the total annual income.

Mining: Income from crypto mining is generally considered business income.

Individuals: Subject to progressive individual income tax rates (9-44%).

Businesses: Subject to corporate income tax (22%).

Staking, Lending, DeFi Rewards: Similar to mining, if these activities are regular and systematic, they are likely considered business income.

Individuals: Progressive individual income tax rates (9-44%).

Businesses: Corporate income tax (22%).

Salaries/Remuneration in Crypto: If an employee receives a salary or other forms of remuneration in cryptocurrency, it is treated as regular employment income and is subject to standard employment income tax and social security contributions, calculated based on the fiat equivalent value at the time of payment.

Airdrops/Forks: The tax treatment of airdrops and forks is less clear but generally follows the principle of whether they constitute taxable income (e.g., if received for a service, or if they represent a windfall that forms part of a business activity). They might be considered taxable income when realized if the activity is deemed professional.

Payment for Goods/Services: If an individual or business receives cryptocurrency as payment for goods or services, the value of the crypto (in fiat equivalent) is considered income from the sale of goods or provision of services and is subject to the relevant income tax.

Exchange of Cryptocurrencies for Fiat Currency (and vice versa): Services consisting of the exchange of traditional currencies for units of the "bitcoin" virtual currency (and vice versa) are exempt from VAT. This applies to the transaction fees charged by crypto exchanges for these services.

Goods and Services Paid with Cryptocurrency: When cryptocurrency is used as a means of payment for goods or services, the transaction is subject to VAT on the underlying goods or services, not on the cryptocurrency itself. The crypto is treated simply as a medium of exchange, similar to fiat currency. The value for VAT purposes is the fiat equivalent of the cryptocurrency at the time of the transaction.

Income Tax Declaration (Form E1): Any income derived from cryptocurrency activities that is deemed taxable (e.g., from professional trading, mining, staking, salaries) must be declared in the annual personal income tax return (Form E1). The specific section for declaring such income would depend on its nature (e.g., "income from business activities").

Asset Declaration: Greece generally does not have a specific wealth tax or mandatory reporting of virtual assets as part of an individual's asset declaration unless it is related to illicit activities or extremely high values trigger other reporting obligations. However, there is growing international pressure (e.g., OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework - CARF) for more transparency.

Businesses dealing with crypto must adhere to standard accounting principles and include all crypto-related transactions and holdings in their financial statements and corporate tax returns.

They must maintain proper records, including transaction histories, valuations, and profit/loss statements.

Platform Reporting (Future): As an EU member state, Greece will be subject to the DAC7 directive, which mandates reporting by digital platforms (including some crypto platforms) on the income of sellers using their services. The upcoming DAC8 directive will specifically extend automatic exchange of information to crypto-assets, significantly increasing reporting obligations for crypto-asset service providers from 2026.

AADE Circular E. 2063/2023: This is the most significant official document from the Greek tax authorities regarding the tax treatment of virtual assets. It defines virtual assets and clarifies that they are not securities, foreign currency, or electronic money for tax purposes, thus determining which existing tax provisions (or lack thereof) apply.

Reference (Greek): AADE Circular E. 2063/2023 (PDF on aade.gr)

EU Regulatory Frameworks: While not tax legislation, it's important to note the influence of EU regulations:

Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation: This EU regulation, which will be gradually implemented, provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto-assets not already covered by existing financial services legislation. While primarily regulatory, it may indirectly influence future tax interpretations or specific tax legislation by providing clearer definitions and classifications of different types of crypto-assets.

Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE): The official Greek tax authority. All tax circulars and guidance are issued by them.

AADE Official Website (Greek): https://www.aade.gr/

The Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) is the regulatory authority responsible for supervising crypto-asset service providers in Greece, as part of the Greek transposition of the EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive framework. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Greece is subject to EU-wide regulatory frameworks, including the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which was proposed by the European Commission on 21.11.2023 under COM(2023) 749 final as part of the broader EU digital finance package. council implementing decision - EUR-Lex

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE - ΑΑΔΕ) is Greece's tax administration authority, responsible for tax collection and enforcement, including any tax treatment of virtual assets. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

The Bank of Greece (BoG) serves as Greece's central bank and participates in European System of Central Banks, with oversight over financial stability matters that may intersect with crypto-asset activities. IMMC.SWD_2019_0201_FIN.ENG.xhtml.1_EN_autre_document_travail_service_part1_v5.docx

Primary legislative instruments include Directive 2006/112/EC (the VAT Directive) of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax, which has been amended to address digital economy matters. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

Greece's tax system is governed by the Greek Income Tax Code (Law 4172/2013) and the Greek Tax Procedure Code (Law 4174/2013), which remain the foundational tax legislation. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Greece participates in the EU's enhanced surveillance framework under Regulation (EU) No 472/2013, which has been used to monitor fiscal and structural reforms, including tax administration improvements. IMMC.SWD_2019_0201_FIN.ENG.xhtml.1_EN_autre_document_travail_service_part1_v5.docx

As an EU member state, Greece is subject to the EU's Anti-Money Laundering Directives (5AMLD and 6AMLD), transposed into Greek law, which require registration and oversight of virtual asset service providers. Europa

Greece has not been specifically evaluated by FATF in a standalone assessment; as an EU member state, anti-money laundering standards follow EU directives which are themselves aligned with FATF recommendations. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

Under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which entered into application in 2024, crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) in Greece would require authorization from the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC). council implementing decision - EUR-Lex

The Greek transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive requires Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), including crypto exchanges and wallet providers, to register with the HCMC before commencing operations. Europa

Activities requiring registration/licensing include crypto-to-fiat exchange services, crypto-to-crypto exchange, management of crypto-assets, and provision of crypto wallet custody services, as defined under the EU AML framework. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

The pre-MiCA registration regime under 5AMLD was considered transitional; full authorization requirements under MiCA will become applicable following the implementation period. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

As of the MiCA implementation period, the HCMC has not published a comprehensive licensing regime for crypto businesses — official sources indicate that the Commission's role in supervising CASPs is being structured but no entities have been reported as licensed under a dedicated crypto framework. Europa

Capital requirements for CASP authorization under MiCA will follow the EU regulation's tiered approach, but specific national capital requirements have not been published in Greece's official sources. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

No entities have been formally licensed as crypto-asset service providers under a dedicated Greek crypto regime as of the latest available official information. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Greek AML obligations for crypto businesses are based on the transposition of the EU's 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which requires customer due diligence (CDD) measures, including identification and verification of customers. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

Enhanced due diligence (EDD) is required for high-risk customers and situations involving complex or unusually large transactions, consistent with EU AML requirements. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) must be filed with the Hellenic Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which operates under the Greek AML authority framework. Europa

Record retention requirements under the Greek AML law require maintaining transaction records and identification data for at least five years after the business relationship ends. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

Beneficial ownership information must be collected and verified for legal entities, as mandated by the EU AML Directive transposed into Greek law. 52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) screening is mandatory under Greek AML law, requiring risk-based measures to determine whether customers are PEPs. Europa

Greece's AML framework was identified as an area requiring enhancement in the context of EU economic surveillance, with improvements to the AML/CFT framework noted as a reform milestone. Europa

No publicly documented enforcement actions against crypto businesses specifically for crypto-related violations have been identified in the provided official sources. Europa

Greece's enhanced surveillance reports have documented general tax evasion and compliance challenges but do not cite specific crypto-related enforcement cases. IMMC.SWD_2019_0201_FIN.ENG.xhtml.1_EN_autre_document_travail_service_part1_v5.docx

The Greek tax authority has taken measures to address VAT fraud and compliance gaps, including electronic invoicing requirements, which may indirectly affect crypto-related businesses. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

No tax guidance has been issued specifically for virtual assets by the Greek tax authority (AADE). Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Under existing Greek tax law, individuals are subject to personal income tax on their worldwide income, which would generally include gains from the disposal of crypto-assets as capital gains or other income. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Greece applies a progressive personal income tax rate structure; the precise classification of crypto-asset gains (as capital gains, business income, or other) has not been clarified in official guidance. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Corporate income tax applies to legal entities in Greece; crypto-asset gains of corporations would generally be subject to standard corporate income tax rates, though no specific crypto guidance exists. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Value Added Tax (VAT) treatment of crypto-assets in Greece follows the EU VAT Directive (Directive 2006/112/EC), which includes provisions relevant to digital services; the European Court of Justice has ruled that Bitcoin exchanges are exempt from VAT, and this principle applies in Greece. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

The Greek tax authority has not published a specific position on the VAT treatment of crypto-assets, but EU-level interpretations and the CJEU's "Hedqvist" ruling (Case C-264/14) provide that exchanges of traditional currency for virtual currency are VAT-exempt. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

Greece has implemented electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) through the myDATA platform to improve tax compliance, with a proposed derogation from VAT Directive Articles 218 and 232 to mandate B2B e-invoicing, which may affect crypto businesses conducting B2B transactions. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

Greece's tax compliance gap has been a focus of EU surveillance, with the VAT compliance gap reduced from 29.1% in 2017 to 17.8% in 2021, according to the European Commission. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

The absence of specific tax guidance for virtual assets creates significant uncertainty for crypto businesses and individual investors operating in Greece. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

The classification of crypto-asset gains (capital gains vs. ordinary income) is not defined in Greek tax law, creating potential compliance risks and ambiguity regarding applicable rates. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

The HCMC's supervisory framework for crypto-asset service providers remains in development, with no evidence of a fully operational licensing regime for MiCA-compliant businesses in Greece. Europa

Greek tax authorities have prioritized combatting VAT fraud and improving tax compliance through digital tools, but crypto-specific enforcement and monitoring mechanisms are not evident in official publications. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

The myDATA platform requires entities obliged to keep accounting records to transmit income and expense transaction data to the platform; crypto businesses will need to ensure reporting compatibility. EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

Businesses operating in the crypto space in Greece face the risk of future tax audits without clear guidance on record-keeping and reporting obligations specific to virtual assets. Personal Income Tax | ΑΑΔΕ

Greece's enhanced surveillance framework has repeatedly focused on tax compliance improvements and VAT gap reduction, suggesting heightened scrutiny of under-reported income across all sectors, including crypto. IMMC.SWD_2019_0201_FIN.ENG.xhtml.1_EN_autre_document_travail_service_part1_v5.docx

The Council's 14 July 2023 recommendations to Greece included calls to "improve the investment friendliness of the taxation system, enlarge the tax base, strengthen tax compliance and preserve the operational autonomy of the tax authority," reflecting ongoing tax system challenges. council implementing decision - EUR-Lex

council implementing decision - EUR-Lex

EUR-Lex - 52025PC0004 - EN - EUR-Lex

52021SC0155 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union

authorising Greece to introduce a special measure derogating ...

EUR-Lex - 52012DC0183 - EN - European Union

EN EN EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 5.6.2019 SWD(2019) 540 final