Slovenia Proposes 25% Tax on Crypto Trading Profits

Slovenia’s Finance Ministry has introduced a draft law that would impose a 25% tax on profits from crypto trading for residents, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to digital asset regulation. The proposal, which was made public on April 17, is now open for public consultation until May 5. Under the draft law, the tax would apply when crypto assets are sold for fiat currency or used to purchase goods and services. However, crypto-to-crypto transactions and transfers between wallets owned by the same individual would be exempt. The Finance Ministry stated that the new tax would align with existing tax policies, requiring taxpayers to track all their transactions and report them in annual returns. Profits would be calculated by subtracting the purchase price from the sale price.

Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič defended the proposal, stating that it was unreasonable for one of the most speculative financial instruments to remain untaxed. “The goal is not necessarily to increase revenue but to ensure fairness in the tax system,” he said in a statement. “Crypto assets should not be treated differently from other forms of investment.” However, the draft has already met with criticism from opposition lawmakers. Jernej Vrtovec, a member of the National Assembly and the New Slovenia opposition party, argued that the proposal could undermine Slovenia’s potential to become a crypto-friendly nation. “With excessive taxation, we will once again see young people and capital fleeing abroad,” Vrtovec posted. “Taxes should encourage innovation, not suppress it.”

If passed, the law would take effect on January 1, 2026. Slovenia currently imposes a 10% tax on crypto withdrawals and payments, but profits from casual trading are untaxed unless deemed part of business activity. Mining and staking profits are already subject to income tax, while personal crypto activities classified as a hobby remain exempt. A previous attempt to tax crypto in April 2022 proposed a 5% levy on annual profits exceeding €10,000, but it failed to advance. Meanwhile, Slovenia continues to play a notable role in digital finance, having issued the EU’s first blockchain-based sovereign bond in 2023. The issuance involved a 30 million euro note, worth around $32.5 million, which offers a 3.65% coupon. The bond was settled on-chain through the Bank of France’s tokenized cash system.