Basic Taxation Rules
For natural persons (individuals), the mere holding of cryptocurrency is not taxable. A tax liability arises only when the cryptocurrency is sold for fiat currency, exchanged for another cryptocurrency, used to pay for goods or services, or if you donate the cryptocurrency to someone. The tax base consists of the difference between the selling price and the acquisition price, including costs such as exchange fees. In the case of cryptocurrencies acquired for free (e.g., airdrops), the cost is considered zero, meaning the entire yield is taxable.
The amount of tax depends on the level of income. If the total tax base does not exceed approximately 47,538 EUR, a 19% tax applies. For a higher base, a 25% rate is applied. In addition, a 15% health insurance levy is added for individuals, which the insurance company assesses during the annual reconciliation.
A fundamental change from 2025 is that staking and mining are taxed only at the moment of selling the obtained coins, not at the time they are credited to the account. This means the investor does not pay tax on the value that merely appeared in their wallet, but only when they actually monetize this asset.
Legal Entities and Sole Traders (SZČO)
In the case of entrepreneurs, cryptocurrencies are recorded as part of business assets, and profits are taxed as business income. The tax rate is 15% for companies with a turnover of up to 49,790 EUR and 21% for higher turnover. Sole traders (SZČO) also pay health and social insurance levies according to general rules. Companies do not pay these levies unless it involves paying out profit shares to individuals.
It is also important that, in the case of cryptocurrencies, a tax loss cannot be reported – expenses can be claimed only up to the amount of income from the given asset. For entrepreneurs, this means that, for example, a loss from the sale of one cryptocurrency cannot be offset against profit from another type of income.
Changes and Proposals That Did Not Pass
Although an amendment was approved in 2023 that was supposed to significantly reduce tax rates for cryptocurrencies (7% upon sale after one year of holding, exemption for small payments up to 2,400 €), this regulation was abolished by the new government before it took effect. Thus, in 2025, the original rules apply without any tax breaks for long-term crypto holding.
Conversely, several minor changes came into force, such as the increase of the health insurance levy from 14% to 15% and legislative clarification that staking or mining is taxed only upon sale.
What Is Coming from 2026
The government's consolidation package envisages the introduction of further tax brackets: 30% and 35% for extremely high earnings. The health insurance levy should increase to 16%. These changes will have a significant impact primarily on investors who realize one-time profits in the tens to hundreds of thousands of euros. Effective taxation could thus exceed 40%, which would make cryptocurrencies one of the most heavily taxed assets of all.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrency taxation in Slovakia in 2025 remains strictly set, but at the same time more predictable than in the past. Regardless of whether you are a regular investor or an entrepreneur, it pays to keep detailed records of transactions and be prepared for legislative developments in 2026. An advantage for long-term investors may be investing via ETF funds, which allow for tax exemption on profits if the time test is met. Although the reliefs from 2023 did not eventually go into practice, adjustments in the area of staking or more precise terminology bring at least partial improvement in clarity in this dynamically evolving field.
