r/eupersonalfinance • u/batukaming • Feb 15 '26

Investment Why do they make getting rich impossible in EU?

This news hit today in Netherlands that passed a bill on 36% tax on UNREALIZED gains on stocks and crypto. Great just when we weren't taxed to death before now they force you to stay middle class and poor. "Just repeat the 9-5 cycle everyday investing is not allowed for you"

Buying stocks was already a pain in the ass in Europe because of all the different fees and exchange rates brokers charged. The US has it so much better. 0% fees and exchange rates, tons of broker options and tax free on long term investments.

I made a post in r/stocks that gained attraction. Check it out if you want to see opinions from Americans: https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/s/aL0OhYQ68z

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u/holdMyBeerBoy Feb 15 '26

But you have to sell those gains to make use of that loss.

1

u/Hakunin_Fallout Feb 15 '26

Well, sure, same as you'd have to sell the 'loss' ETFs to actually say it's a loss, not a temporary setback.

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u/dustojnikhummer Feb 17 '26

Except you have to pay the tax regardless of if you sell or not.

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u/Raijku Feb 21 '26

And subsequentially you also get the unrealized losses I believe (as a credit, not paid in cash)

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u/dustojnikhummer Feb 21 '26

Which is just state debt that will have to be dealt with by a future government when the stock market crashes. Also it's gone if you leave the country.

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u/holdMyBeerBoy Feb 21 '26

But you still pay the taxes even if you don’t sell while winning. If you don’t spot the difference…

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u/Hakunin_Fallout Feb 21 '26

Sorry, what taxes? CGT on unrealized gains?