Is crypto legal in Greece? Rules & regulation (2026)
Crypto is regulated in Greece.
Crypto-assets are legal and comprehensively regulated in Greece under the EU's MiCA regime, which became fully applicable to CASPs on 30 December 2024 and was supplemented domestically by Law 5193/2025, making Greece one of the first EU members to complete national MiCA implementation. The HCMC licenses and supervises crypto-asset service providers, the Bank of Greece oversees stablecoin (ART/EMT) issuers, and the AADE administers a 15% flat capital-gains tax on crypto disposals (with progressive rates for professional, mining and staking income) alongside DAC8 information exchange from 2026.
Legal framework
EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA, Reg. (EU) 2023/1114) directly applicable, transposed and supplemented in Greece by Law 5193/2025 (in force April 2025); Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) as competent authority for CASPs (operationalised via HCMC Decision No. 8/1059/30.07.2025), Bank of Greece as prudential supervisor for asset-referenced and e-money tokens, AADE for tax administration.
Status by sub-area
Stablecoins
In forceMiCA Titles III (asset-referenced tokens) and IV (e-money tokens) have applied across Greece since 30 June 2024, with the Bank of Greece designated under Law 5193/2025 as prudential supervisor of ART/EMT issuers. Reserve backing, segregation, redemption-at-par and own-funds requirements are mandatory.
Exchanges / VASP
In forceCrypto exchanges and other Crypto-Asset Service Providers must be authorised by the HCMC under MiCA Title V and Law 5193/2025, with a detailed national application procedure operationalised by HCMC Decision 8/1059/2025. Unlicensed professional provision of services is sanctioned under Art. 107 of the Law.
Token Offerings
In forcePublic offerings of crypto-assets in Greece fall under MiCA Title II for non-ART/EMT tokens (white-paper notification regime) and Titles III–IV for ART/EMT (white-paper approval). Tokens that qualify as financial instruments remain under EU prospectus law (Reg. 2017/1129) and MiFID II rules supervised by the HCMC.
Custody
In forceCustody and administration of crypto-assets on behalf of clients is a regulated CASP service under MiCA Art. 75 and HCMC supervision. Custodians must segregate client crypto-assets from their own holdings, maintain a custody policy, and are liable to clients for loss attributable to incidents in their sphere.
DeFi
PartialFully decentralised protocols with no identifiable intermediary are formally outside MiCA's scope (Recital 22), so Greece — like the rest of the EU — has no bespoke DeFi licensing regime. Where any centralised actor (front-end operator, governance entity, custodial element) is identifiable, MiCA CASP obligations supervised by the HCMC apply, and the European Commission's pending Article 142 DeFi report is expected to drive a dedicated regime later.
Still pending: Pending Article 142 DeFi report expected to establish EU-wide dedicated regime
Tax
In forceGreece taxes crypto-asset disposals by individuals at a 15% flat capital-gains rate, administered by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). Mining, staking and professional trading income is taxed under the progressive personal-income scale (9–44%), and DAC8-based reporting by CASPs to AADE applies from 2026.
How to get a crypto license in Greece
To provide crypto-asset services in Greece you need a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), supervised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V.
- Authority
- the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC)
- License required
- a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider)
- Framework / law
- the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V
- Minimum capital
- €50,000–€150,000 minimum, by service class (Class 1/2/3)
- Timeline
- about 40 working days of substantive review; 1–3 months for a well-prepared application
- Cost
- an application fee of roughly €5,000–€25,000, plus ongoing supervisory fees
- Passporting
- Yes: a single MiCA CASP licence passports across all 27 EU member states.
What a crypto license in Greece covers
- Custody and administration of crypto-assets for clients
- Operating a trading platform for crypto-assets
- Exchanging crypto-assets for funds, or for other crypto-assets
- Executing orders for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
- Reception and transmission of orders, and placing of crypto-assets
- Advice and portfolio management on crypto-assets
- Transfer services for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
Step by step: getting a crypto license in Greece
Incorporate a legal entity with a registered office in the member state, with at least one director resident in the EU.
Build the application file: programme of operations, business plan, governance, AML/CFT, ICT resilience and client-asset segregation.
Submit the application to the national competent authority.
Completeness check: the authority has 25 working days to confirm the file is complete and request anything missing.
Substantive assessment: the authority has 40 working days to grant or refuse the authorisation.
Once authorised, notify the passport to the host member states you intend to serve, then begin operating across the EU.
Documents required in Greece
- Programme of operations describing each crypto-asset service you will provide
- Business plan with three-year financial projections
- Evidence of prudential safeguards (own funds or qualifying insurance)
- Governance arrangements, organisational chart and internal-control description
- AML/CFT policies and the appointment of a compliance officer
- ICT security, business-continuity and DORA-aligned resilience policies
- Custody and client-asset segregation arrangements
- Complaints-handling procedure and conflict-of-interest policy
- Fit-and-proper evidence for directors and qualifying shareholders (CVs, criminal-record certificates)
Ongoing obligations in Greece
- Maintain prudential safeguards and own funds at or above the class minimum
- Keep client crypto-assets segregated from the firm's own assets
- Run continuous AML/CFT monitoring, screening and suspicious-activity reporting
- Keep marketing communications fair, clear and not misleading
- Operate complaints handling and manage conflicts of interest
- Meet ICT resilience and incident-reporting duties under DORA
- File periodic reports to the national competent authority
Key points: crypto & digital assets in Greece
MiCA in force + national supplement
MiCA (Reg. (EU) 2023/1114) applies directly across Greece; Title III-IV (stablecoins) since 30 June 2024 and Title V (CASPs) since 30 December 2024. Law 5193/2025 supplements MiCA, designates competent authorities, sets sanctions and investor-protection measures, and provides a transitional 'grandfathering' window for incumbent providers running until 1 July 2026.
HCMC as CASP licensing authority
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission is the sole authority for authorising and supervising Crypto-Asset Service Providers. HCMC Decision 8/1059/30.07.2025, issued under Art. 101(a) of Law 5193/2025, sets out the application file, acknowledgement within 5 business days, completeness review within 25 business days, and a substantive decision within 40 business days of a complete dossier.
Bank of Greece supervises stablecoin issuers
Under Law 5193/2025, the Bank of Greece is designated as the prudential supervisor for issuers of asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs), applying MiCA's reserve, redemption-at-par, governance and own-funds requirements; HCMC and Bank of Greece are also empowered to run 'mystery shopping' supervisory campaigns.
15% flat capital-gains tax on disposals
Greece introduced a dedicated 15% flat tax on capital gains realised on the disposal of crypto-assets by individuals, with loss carry-forward up to five years against future crypto gains. Income from mining, staking and professional trading is treated as ordinary/business income and taxed at progressive rates of 9-44%.
DAC8 reporting and AML integration
Law 5193/2025 also transposes the EU's DAC8 directive, requiring EU-licensed crypto exchanges to report transaction data on Greek-resident users to AADE annually from 2026. CASPs must implement enhanced due diligence above defined thresholds and report suspicious transactions to the Hellenic AML Authority via FIU.net.
Transitional regime to July 2026
Existing crypto service providers active in Greece prior to 30 December 2024 may continue under transitional 'grandfathering' arrangements until 1 July 2026 or until a CASP licence decision is taken; Binance has filed a MiCA CASP application with the HCMC under this regime.
Crypto license in Greece: FAQ
Do you need a license to run a crypto business in Greece?
Yes. To provide crypto-asset services in Greece you need a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), supervised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V.
Which authority issues crypto licenses in Greece?
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC).
How much does a crypto license cost in Greece?
An application fee of roughly €5,000–€25,000, plus ongoing supervisory fees.
How long does it take to get a crypto license in Greece?
Typically about 40 working days of substantive review; 1–3 months for a well-prepared application.
What documents do you need for a crypto license in Greece?
The application file centres on programme of operations describing each crypto-asset service you will provide; business plan with three-year financial projections; evidence of prudential safeguards (own funds or qualifying insurance); governance arrangements, organisational chart and internal-control description; plus fit-and-proper evidence for directors and qualifying shareholders.
What is the application process for a crypto license in Greece?
Incorporate a legal entity with a registered office in the member state, with at least one director resident in the EU. Build the application file: programme of operations, business plan, governance, AML/CFT, ICT resilience and client-asset segregation. The authority then assesses the file and, once authorised, you can begin operating.
Does a Greece crypto license work in other EU/EEA countries?
Yes: a single MiCA CASP licence passports across all 27 EU member states.
Timeline of decisions
- DecisionGreece prepares to levy 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency
CoinDesk Policy
- Decision
- Decision · officialHCMC Board Decision 8/1059: Formal CASP Authorisation Procedure Published
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission issued Decision 8/1059 specifying application requirements, fit-and-proper criteria, and documentation standards for Crypto-Asset Service Provider authorisations under Law 5193/2025 and MiCA, completing Greece's domestic CASP licensing infrastructure.
Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC)
- Law · officialMiCA Regulation Fully Applicable: All Crypto Firms in Greece Under Mandatory EU Licensing
EU Regulation 2023/1114 on Markets in Crypto-Assets became fully applicable, bringing crypto-asset service providers operating in Greece under mandatory authorisation and prudential requirements. Firms relying on a transitional VASP registration must obtain full HCMC authorisation by 31 December 2025 or cease operations.
Bank of Greece
- LawLaw 4557/2018: AML Overhaul — VASPs Required to Register with HCMC
Greece transposed the EU's Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive via Law 4557/2018, for the first time requiring Virtual Asset Service Providers to register with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission and comply with KYC/AML obligations — the earliest domestic regulation directly targeting crypto businesses.
Greek Government Gazette (English translation hosted by ELTE)
Sources
- esma.europa.eu/esmas-activities/digital-finance-and-innovation/markets-crypto-assets
- hcmc.gr/en_US/web/portal/agores-kryptostoicheion
- ey.com/en_gr/technical/tax/tax-alerts/mica-regulation-authorisation-procedur
- zeya.com/newsletters/long-awaited-law-supplementing-markets-crypto-assets-regu
- tsamichaslaw.gr/the-implementation-of-mica-in-greece-legal-analysis-of-law-5193-2025/
- athens-times.com/cryptocurrencies-face-15-capital-gains-tax-and-new-oversight-framewor
- koinly.io/guides/crypto-tax-greece/
- fortune.com/2026/01/22/binance-files-for-crucial-eu-wide-license-creates-greek-ho
- medium.com/@donawei/greeces-new-era-of-crypto-regulation-a-deep-dive-into-southe
- help.waltio.com/en/articles/14704986-greece-crypto-tax-guide-2026-the-complete-guide
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