Selling crypto for euros is a taxable event almost everywhere in Europe, but the bill ranges from zero to a third of your gain depending on the country and, in some places, on how long you held. Here is the honest picture for 2026.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rates and rules change with every budget cycle. Confirm your situation with the tax authority or an adviser in your country before acting on it.
France: 31.4% flat tax
Since 1 January 2026 the flat tax (PFU) on capital income is 31.4%: 12.8% income tax plus 18.6% social contributions after the CSG increase in the 2026 social security budget. It applies when an occasional investor sells digital assets for fiat. Two things soften it: crypto-to-crypto trades are not taxable events in France, and total disposals under 305 euros in a year are exempt. You can opt for the progressive income scale instead if your bracket is low. Gains are declared with form 2086; foreign exchange accounts go on form 3916-bis.
Germany: zero after one year
Germany treats crypto as a private asset. Hold longer than 12 months and the gain is entirely tax free. Sell within a year and the gain is added to your ordinary income (up to 45%), with a 1,000 euro annual exemption for private sales. This single rule makes Germany the most favourable large economy in Europe for patient holders, and it is why the holding date matters more than the price you sell at.
Spain: 19 to 30 percent, progressive
Crypto gains are savings income: roughly 19% on the first 6,000 euros of gain, 21% to 50,000, 23% to 200,000, and up to 28-30% at the top depending on the year's budget. No holding-period exemption. Spain also has an informational declaration for crypto held abroad (Modelo 721) once balances pass 50,000 euros.
Italy: 33 percent from 2026
Italy's budget raised the substitute tax on crypto gains from 26% to 33% starting 2026. The small-gains exemption that used to apply below 2,000 euros a year has been in flux across recent budgets, so check the current threshold before assuming it.
Portugal: zero after 365 days
Portugal taxes crypto held under a year at 28% and exempts disposals of crypto held longer than 365 days. The days of blanket tax-free crypto are over, but for long-term holders Portugal remains one of the friendliest regimes in the EU.
Netherlands: wealth tax, not gains tax
The Netherlands does not tax the sale itself. Crypto sits in Box 3 with your other assets and is taxed annually on a deemed return based on your 1 January balance, above the tax-free threshold. Whether you sold at a profit or a loss during the year mostly does not matter; what you hold on the reference date does.
What this means in practice
Three habits save most of the pain: export your trade history before an exchange closes or locks you out, record the euro value at the moment of each disposal, and know your country's holding rule before you sell rather than after. Selling peer-to-peer instead of on an exchange does not change what you owe; the taxable event is the disposal itself, however it settles. When you are ready, you can sell Bitcoin by SEPA transfer or read the country cash-out guides: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands.