Open a Cryptocurrency Company in Greece

Greek and foreign investors who want to open a cryptocurrency company in Greece must know that this sector is now regulated by the EU MiCA Regulation and Greek Law 5193/2025 and this implies that crypto-asset service providers need a crypto license (MiCA authorisation) in Greecefor these operations. 

Although there are some rules of law that are imposed to cryptocurrency operations, the field has remained decentralized. However, cryptocurrency users have to abide by specific procedures. Our consultants in Greek company formation can present the main procedures one has to respect when dealing with cryptocurrency. 

What is the law on cryptocurrency in Greece?

As stated above, cryptocurrency operations in Greece are governed by MiCA and Greek Law 5193/2025, together with the AML rules. The Greek officials have made some efforts in creating a partially regulated industry in the last years. 

Furthermore, some of the policies applied by the European Union (EU) have been introduced into the Greek legal system. Here, it must be noted that Greece applies the AMLD 5 (the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive of the EU). 

The AMLD 5 was introduced in Greece through the Law no. 4734/2020, which was issued in October 2020. This legislation clearly defined what cryptocurrencies are under the Greek legal understanding, but it also introduced few distinctive obligations. Some of the obligations of those who want to set up a company in Greece in the cryptocurrency industry are: 

1. to implement Know Your Client policies;
2. to report suspicious activities to the Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority (FIU);
3. to impose anti-money laundering internal procedures. 

A further development of the cryptocurrency legal framework in Greece has applied since 30 December 2024, when an EU legislation became fully applicable in this country.

The EU legislation aims at creating a unitary system within the EU member states concerning the registration, authorization and licensing of crypto operators. This legislation has been implemented in some EU states, and Greece completed the implementation of this law (Law 5193/2025, April 2025), while some others are still working on the implementation into the national law.

The new EU law is the Regulation of Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA), whose purpose is to impose the minimum standards of transparency and regulatory obligations crypto businesses and operators should abide by. It also lays down the rules for the issuance of a crypto license in Greece (mandatory for crypto-asset service providers since the end of the transitional period on 30 December 2025).

Now that the legislation is in force, there are specific requirements concerning the crypto license in Greece, therefore we invite you to address our consultants in the case you want to invest in this industry in the near future.

As MiCA obliges crypto businesses to hold a crypto license in Greece, our team of specialists in Greek company formation will represent you during the procedure.

Please refer to our team of specialists in Greek company formation if you want to know more about the 2020 law. Our consultants can also present you information as to whether you must apply for a crypto license in Greece as per the rules of MiCA and Law 5193/2025.

Legal obligations for VASPs in Greece

Local and foreign investors can open a Greek company as virtual asset service providers (VASPs). For this, they need to register with the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission (HCMC). Since 30 December 2025 this AML registration has been replaced by a MiCA authorisation (CASP license) issued by the HCMC.

This is due to the fact that, at the moment, crypto businesses under MiCA have to apply for a crypto license in Greece, and they must also comply with the AML/CFT registration rules. Through the registration, local institutions will make sure that crypto businesses comply with the AML/CFT rules.

It must be noted that the registration with the HCMC does not equate with a VASP license in Greece. The registration simply means that such companies abide by the law, and that the HCMC has an updated register on the VASP operators available in Greece.

Please mind that the registration is mandatory regardless of the place of business (in Greece or outside). Although the registration does not represent a crypto license in Greece, those who do not register are not allowed to carry out any operations and provided that they operate without being registered, the HCMC is required to impose sanctions within the scope of theAML Law.

Investors setting up a company in Greece as a VASP operator should know that the registration with the HCMC can be a lengthy process, as the review of the file can take around 2 months.

What is the tax system applied in cryptocurrency in Greece?

The tax system concerning cryptocurrency is not specifically regulated for this industry. In other words, a large part of such activities do not fall under the regulations of the tax law. 

Concerning the taxation of cryptocurrencies, there are 2 distinctive categories: 1) income that derives from cryptocurrency mining, and 2) income that derives from cryptocurrency transactions. 

Currently, the 2nd category is taxed following the next rules: 

• cryptocurrency transactions are taxed following the Law 4172/2013;
• this refers to the Income Tax Code, Article 42 (3), which describes the taxation of the capital gains tax applied to income;
• natural persons can be taxed following the provisions of Articles 42 and 43;
• these stipulate that one can be taxed at a rate of 15%;
• those who want to open a cryptocurrency company in Greece have to know that the taxation of the company is done following Articles 47 and 58. 

Cryptocurrency mining in Greece 

Mining is generally a cryptocurrency activity that is more suitable for businesses and for investors who have the necessary capital to invest in the equipment necessary for mining. Generally speaking, mining in Greece is not done be individuals (although there aren’t any restrictions in this sense) because it is very expensive. 

Those who do invest in mining, will end up hiring other persons to help in mining activities, as it is a complex procedure. Crypto miners need computers that can work 24 hours, 7 days a week. The computer equipment necessary for maintaining this can cost EUR 20,000, and the energy necessary maintaining the systems operational costs EUR 1,000 per month. 

If you want to know more on the costs associated with mining operations, our consultants in company registration in Greece can be of help; our team can also assist with more details on the crypto license in Greece.