How much tax could you pay when selling shares, cryptocurrency or property in Bulgaria?
The Finorum Bulgaria Capital Gains Tax Calculator estimates the tax payable on a private investment gain. Enter the purchase price, sale price and eligible transaction costs, then select the relevant asset type and holding period.
Bulgaria generally applies a flat 10% personal income tax rate, but the taxable amount and available exemptions depend on what you sell, where a transaction takes place and how long you have owned the asset. The calculator therefore treats shares, cryptocurrency and real estate separately.
Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so calculator results are displayed in euros. The official conversion rate was fixed at EUR 1 = BGN 1.95583. European Commission
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How Capital Gains Tax Works in Bulgaria
Bulgaria does not impose one separate capital gains tax that applies identically to every investment. Instead, taxable gains received by individuals generally fall within the personal income tax system.
The standard tax rate on the total annual tax base is 10%. However, certain disposals are exempt, while other gains qualify for a statutory expense deduction before the tax is calculated. The applicable result depends on the asset and the circumstances of the sale. Bulgarian Ministry of Finance
The basic calculation is:
Capital gain = Sale proceeds − Acquisition cost − Eligible transaction costs
Where the statutory 10% expense deduction applies, the remaining 90% of the gain is taxed at 10%. This produces an effective tax equal to approximately 9% of the original gain.
This is why the calculator may show either 0%, 9% or 10%, depending on the selected asset and tax route.
Tax on Shares and Investment Funds
Gains from shares, investment fund units and other financial assets are generally taxable when no specific exemption applies.
For a standard taxable disposal, gains and compatible losses from relevant financial-asset transactions are generally combined for the tax year. The resulting positive amount may then be reduced by the statutory expense allowance before the 10% personal income tax is applied.
An important exemption applies to qualifying transactions involving financial instruments carried out on a regulated market. A disposal may therefore be tax-free when both the instrument and the market transaction satisfy the Bulgarian statutory definition.
The exemption should not be assumed merely because shares are listed on an exchange. The execution venue and legal classification of the transaction matter. An off-market transfer, disposal of an unlisted interest or transaction completed through a venue that does not meet the required definition may remain taxable.
The calculator’s regulated-market option provides a simplified estimate. Investors should verify the status of their exchange and transaction before relying on an exempt result.
Cryptocurrency Tax in Bulgaria
Bulgaria does not apply a separate preferential capital gains tax rate exclusively to cryptocurrency.
For an individual investing privately, a taxable crypto gain is generally calculated from the positive difference between the disposal value and the documented acquisition cost. Gains and losses from relevant transactions during the year are considered when determining the annual result.
The statutory expense reduction can bring the effective tax burden to approximately 9% of the net gain:
Net gain × 90% taxable base × 10% tax rate
A crypto disposal can include a sale for euros and potentially an exchange or another transaction through which taxable value is realised. Accurate records should therefore be maintained for acquisition dates, purchase values, fees, disposals and exchange transactions.
Different treatment may apply when crypto activity is conducted regularly, professionally or as an organised commercial operation. In that case, the income may be classified as business income rather than an occasional private investment gain. Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency notes that the ordinary financial-asset rules do not apply when an individual’s activity constitutes business activity as a trader. Bulgarian National Revenue Agency
Capital Gains Tax on Property in Bulgaria
The sale of Bulgarian real estate can be taxable, but important holding-period exemptions are available to private individuals.
Income from the sale of one residential property is generally exempt when more than three years have passed between its acquisition and disposal.
Income from the sale of up to two other immovable properties during the tax year may be exempt when more than five years have passed between acquisition and sale. The five-year rule can also cover agricultural and forest property, subject to the applicable conditions.
These exemptions normally apply only when the property sale is not part of business activity as a trader. The number of properties sold, the nature of the activity and the taxpayer’s circumstances can therefore change the result.
When no exemption applies, the taxable property income is generally based on the positive difference between the sale price and documented acquisition price, reduced by the statutory 10% expense deduction. Applying the 10% tax rate to that reduced base produces an effective charge of approximately 9% of the calculated gain.
The official Bulgarian guidance confirms both the three-year residential-property exemption and the five-year exemption applying to qualifying property disposals. Bulgarian Ministry of Finance
Example of a Taxable Gain
Suppose a Bulgarian tax resident privately acquires cryptocurrency for €10,000 and later sells it for €15,000. For simplicity, assume there are no additional transaction costs or compatible losses.
- Sale proceeds: €15,000
- Acquisition cost: €10,000
- Initial gain: €5,000
- Statutory expense deduction: €500
- Estimated taxable base: €4,500
- Tax at 10%: €450
- Estimated after-tax gain: €4,550
The effective tax in this simplified example is 9% of the initial €5,000 gain.
If the same activity were considered an organised business, this private-investor calculation might not apply.
How Losses Affect the Calculation
Compatible losses can reduce taxable gains within the category and annual calculation permitted by Bulgarian law. However, a loss cannot automatically be deducted from every other form of income.
For example, an investment loss should not be assumed to reduce employment income, rental income or an unrelated property gain. The calculator’s compatible-losses field is intended only for losses that may legally be offset against the selected type of gain.
Keep contracts, broker statements, invoices, exchange records and evidence of transaction fees. Without a documented acquisition cost, establishing the correct taxable gain can become more difficult.
Important Calculation Assumptions
The calculator assumes that the user is an individual Bulgarian tax resident making a private investment disposal. It does not model a company, sole trader, professional dealer or every cross-border situation.
Tax treaties, foreign withholding taxes, residency status and transactions involving assets located outside Bulgaria may affect the final liability. Dividends are also outside this capital-gains calculation and can be subject to separate rules, including Bulgaria’s 5% final tax in relevant cases.
The estimate should therefore be treated as a practical starting point rather than an official tax assessment.
Important Notice
The Finorum Bulgaria Capital Gains Tax Calculator provides an informational estimate based on standard rules and the information entered by the user. Tax treatment can vary according to the asset, execution venue, ownership period, number of disposals, documentation and whether the activity is considered commercial.
Before submitting a tax return or completing a substantial transaction, consult Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency or a qualified Bulgarian tax adviser.
Bulgaria capital gains tax calculator
Matias Buće has a formal background in administrative law and more than ten years of experience studying global markets, forex trading, and personal finance. His legal training shapes his approach to investing — with a focus on regulation, structure, and risk management. At Finorum, he writes about a broad range of financial topics, from European ETFs to practical personal finance strategies for everyday investors.
Sources & References
EU regulations & taxation
- European Commission / Taxation & Customs — European Commission
- Nra.bg — Bulgarian National Revenue Agency