Is crypto legal in Portugal?

Yes, crypto is legal in Portugal. People can buy, hold, trade and sell bitcoin and other crypto, and the firms that provide crypto services must be authorised under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA). The euro remains Portugal's only legal tender.

Is bitcoin legal in Portugal?

Yes. No Portuguese law bans owning or using bitcoin. Before MiCA, crypto firms had to register with the Banco de Portugal under the 2017 anti-money laundering law (Law 83/2017).

Portugal set out its MiCA rules late. When ESMA first published national transition periods, Portugal's was still listed as to be announced. Parliament approved the implementing law on December 5, 2025, and it was published as Law 69/2025 on December 22, 2025. Our guide to MiCA explains the EU framework.

What are Portugal's crypto laws?

Law 69/2025 splits supervision between two bodies, according to law firm Abreu Advogados:

• Banco de Portugal authorises crypto-asset service providers, supervises significant ones, and oversees stablecoin issuers and prudential rules.
• CMVM, the securities regulator, supervises public offers of most crypto assets, market abuse and conduct rules for services such as custody, trading platforms, exchange and advice.

Applications go to the Banco de Portugal, which consults the CMVM. Firms that were registered and active could continue until July 1, 2026, or until their application was decided. Registered firms that had not started and notified their activity by December 30, 2024 lost their registration.

Is crypto trading legal in Portugal?

Yes. Individuals can trade, but providers need authorisation. Since July 1, 2026, offering crypto services without it counts as a very serious offence, with fines of up to 5 million euros for a company and 2.5 million euros for an individual, ECO reported. Market manipulation and giving false information to clients or authorities fall in the same category. Both regulators must publish a list of authorised providers and the services each may offer.

Is Portugal crypto friendly?

Portugal's reputation comes partly from tax. Since 2023 it has taxed short-term gains while generally exempting crypto held for 365 days or more, as covered in how crypto is taxed in Portugal. On licensing, the picture is tighter: days before the transition ended, the payments association ANIPE said very few firms had been authorised under MiCA in Portugal. Firms licensed in other EU countries can still serve Portuguese customers through MiCA passporting. For other countries' approaches, see crypto regulation around the world.

Rules differ by country and change often. Check the regulator or a qualified professional for your own situation.