The Key Features of the New Capital Gains Tax on financial assets in Belgium
On June 30, the Belgian federal government reached an agreement on the new capital gains tax. The key features of the new tax will be as follows:
It will be a 10% tax on capital gains realized on financial assets, such as shares and crypto-assets;
An "annual exemption" of 10,000 euros per person will be provided (this amount will be indexed). Furthermore, if no capital gains have been realized in the past five years, the exemption can increase by a maximum of 1,000 euros per year to eventually reach a maximum exemption amount of 15,000 euros; in other words, a maximum exemption cap of 15,000 euros will apply in such cases;
In the case of a ‘significant’ shareholding in a company, a reduced and progressive rate will be introduced, regardless of the type of company involved. Additionally, an exemption of 1 million euros will be granted over a five-year period. In this context, a participation of at least 20% will be considered ‘significant’ (excluding profit-sharing shares);
Pension savings products and group insurance policies will be excluded from the scope of the new tax;
The new tax will come into force on January 1, 2026, and will only apply to future capital gains; gains realized in the past will not be affected. To this end, a ‘snapshot’ of asset values will be taken on December 31, 2025; however, in the event of a sale during the first five years, the historical acquisition value will be used if it is higher.
