Bulgaria vs Cyprus
Crypto regulation comparison
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Cryptocurrency is legal in Bulgaria and subject to a flat 10% tax on capital gains, one of the lowest in the EU. Bulgaria adopted the EU's MiCA framework and requires crypto service providers to register. The country has a notable history with crypto due to a large government Bitcoin seizure in 2017.
Cyprus regulates crypto under the EU MiCA framework (fully applicable since December 2024). CySEC authorizes crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) while the Central Bank of Cyprus oversees e-money tokens and asset-referenced tokens. Crypto gains from occasional transactions are currently not taxed; active trading is taxed as income at 0-35%. A proposed 8% flat tax on crypto gains is pending parliamentary approval for 2026.
Key Points
- Flat 10% personal income tax rate applies to crypto capital gains
- VASPs must register with the NRA for AML compliance
- MiCA framework applicable from December 2024
- Bulgaria reportedly seized approximately 200,000 BTC in a 2017 crime bust (status debated)
- No specific crypto legislation beyond EU directives and general tax law
Key Points
- CySEC authorizes and supervises crypto-asset service providers under MiCA
- No capital gains tax on crypto for occasional transactions; active trading taxed as income
- EU MiCA regulation applies as an EU member state
- AML/CFT requirements enforced for all crypto businesses
- Proposed 8% flat tax on crypto gains pending parliamentary approval for 2026