In short
- Crypto changes none of the taxes on buying property. They are all paid exactly as they would be for a euro purchase.
- Since 20 May 2026 a non-resident buyer pays IMT at 7.5% on residential property, with no exemption or reduction. This is new, and almost nobody writes about it.
- There are three exceptions that bring the rate back to the normal scale, with the difference refunded on application.
- Stamp duty is 0.8% of the price. Notary fees run about EUR 900–1,000, land registry EUR 225–375.
- On the crypto itself: gains are taxed at 28% if held under 365 days, and exempt from 365 days for non-professional holders.
IMT — the buyer's main tax
IMT, the municipal tax on transfers of property for consideration, is paid by the buyer before the deed. Rates are set by Article 17 of the IMT Code.
| Basis | Rate |
|---|---|
| Own permanent home, up to EUR 106,346 | 0% |
| Own permanent home, EUR 106,346–660,982 | 2% to 8%, on a scale |
| Own permanent home, EUR 660,982–1,150,853 | 6% flat |
| Own permanent home, above EUR 1,150,853 | 7.5% flat |
| Other residential property, up to EUR 106,346 | 1% |
| Rural property | 5% |
| Other urban property and other transfers | 6.5% |
| Buyer domiciled in a blacklisted jurisdiction | 10%, no exemption |
The 10% rate does not apply where the buyer is a natural person. It does apply to companies controlled from listed jurisdictions.
The new non-resident rule
Decreto-Lei n.º 97/2026 of 20 May 2026 added paragraph 10 to Article 17. Where the buyer of residential property is a non-resident, the IMT rate is always 7.5%, and no exemption or reduction applies.
There are three exceptions:
- the buyer was already tax-resident in Portugal under Article 16 of the IRS Code;
- the buyer becomes tax-resident in Portugal within two years of the purchase;
- the property is let for housing at a capped rent within six months and stays let for at least 36 months, consecutive or not, during the first five years.
In the second and third cases the tax authority cancels the difference between what was paid and what the normal scale would have produced. This is done on application, filed within six months of becoming resident or signing the lease.
For a crypto-funded buyer arriving from abroad with no plan to relocate, this is often the largest unexpected line in the budget.
The other transaction costs
- Imposto do Selo (stamp duty) — 0.8% of the price, paid at the deed. A mortgage above EUR 5,000 adds a further 0.6% on the loan amount.
- Notary — roughly EUR 900–1,000.
- Land registry — roughly EUR 225–375.
- Buyer's lawyer — typically 1–1.5% of the price, depending on complexity.
A worked example
An apartment at EUR 600,000, non-resident buyer, not a permanent home and not let.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| IMT at 7.5% | EUR 45,000 |
| Stamp duty at 0.8% | EUR 4,800 |
| Notary | ~EUR 950 |
| Registry | ~EUR 300 |
| Lawyer, ~1.2% | ~EUR 7,200 |
| Total on top of the price | ~EUR 58,250 |
If the same buyer becomes Portuguese tax-resident within two years, IMT is recalculated on the normal scale and the difference refunded on application. This is worth modelling before the deal, not after.
Tax on the crypto itself
A separate matter from the property taxes. Under Portuguese IRS, Category G:
- held under 365 days — gains taxed at an autonomous 28%, declared in Anexo G, quadro 18A of the Modelo 3 return;
- held 365 days or more — exempt for non-professional holders;
- converting crypto to euro is a disposal in its own right. Whether it produces a taxable gain depends on the holding period and acquisition cost, not on what the euros are spent on.
The Portuguese tax year is the calendar year; Modelo 3 is filed between 1 April and 30 June of the following year.
The practical point: if the assets were bought recently, selling them to fund an apartment can add 28% of the gain on top of every transaction cost. Work out the holding period before the CPCV is signed.
Sources
- Código do IMT, Article 17 — Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
- Decreto-Lei n.º 97/2026 of 20 May 2026 — Article 17(10), the non-resident rate
- Código do IRS, Category G — taxation of crypto-assets