Countries with no capital gains tax in 2026

The short version

Capital gains tax is charged when you sell an asset — shares, crypto, property, a business — for more than you paid. A handful of jurisdictions charge 0% on that gain, which is why they anchor most portfolio-relocation plans. But "no capital gains tax" almost never means "sell anything, any way, tax-free." The line that matters is between managing private wealth (exempt) and trading as a business (taxable as income). Switzerland, Belgium, Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand all police that line closely.

The table below ranks the main 0% or near-0% jurisdictions for 2026, with the specific catch for each. Treat the rates as accurate as of 2026 and verify with a local adviser before you move — capital gains rules change fast, and Belgium is the current proof.

The clean 0% jurisdictions

A small group imposes no capital gains tax on individuals at all, because they impose almost no direct personal taxes. The UAE charges 0% capital gains tax on personal investments — shares, crypto, real estate — for individuals who are not carrying on a licensed business; the 9% federal corporate tax introduced in 2023 targets business profits, not a resident selling their own portfolio. Monaco levies no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no wealth tax on residents. The Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the Bahamas have no direct taxation to speak of, so gains on any asset are simply outside the tax net.

These are the jurisdictions where the headline is real, but the barrier to entry is the point: Monaco effectively requires a six-figure local bank deposit and genuine housing, and Cayman and Bermuda pair 0% tax with a high cost of living and demanding residency requirements. The tax is free; the residency is not. See our UAE tax residency guide, Monaco tax residency guide and Cayman Islands tax residency guide for the specifics.

Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand: 0% with a trading test

Singapore has no capital gains tax. Gains from selling property, shares or financial instruments are generally not taxable — but IRAS can reclassify gains as income if it decides you are trading, weighing your intent, holding period and transaction frequency. Since 2024, some foreign-sourced gains can also be taxed where there is no economic substance in Singapore. Hong Kong works the same way: no CGT, but a frequent trader can be assessed under profits tax as carrying on a trade.

New Zealand is unusual — a developed economy with no comprehensive capital gains tax. The main exception is the bright-line test, which taxes gains on residential property sold within two years of purchase (reverted to two years on 1 July 2024, down from up to ten). Outside that window, and outside anything HMRC-style rules would call "in the business of dealing," investment gains are untaxed.

Switzerland and Belgium: the private-wealth nuance

Switzerland exempts private capital gains on movable assets — stocks, ETFs, bonds, crypto — under federal law (Article 16(3) DBG), at all three tax levels. But the exemption exists only for a natural person managing their own private wealth. Cross into professional securities trading and gains become taxable income. The tax authorities apply safe-harbour criteria — including holding securities at least six months and keeping annual turnover within about five times your starting portfolio — and note that gains must not be needed to replace missing income. Separately, Switzerland levies an annual wealth tax on your holdings, so "0% CGT" is not "0% tax." Our Switzerland tax residency guide covers the cantonal detail.

Belgium is the cautionary tale. Long a haven for private-wealth capital gains, it introduced a 10% capital gains tax on financial assets from 1 January 2026, with an annual exemption of roughly €10,000 and grandfathering of gains accrued to 31 December 2025. Shares, bonds, ETFs, derivatives, crypto and investment gold are all in scope. Substantial shareholders (≥20%) face progressive rates up to 10% with a €1 million exemption, and certain internal sales are hit at 33%. Belgium moved from "effectively 0%" to a real tax in a single budget — the reason we say verify before you move.

Georgia: the low-friction 0% option

Georgia deserves its own line. For Georgian tax residents, gains treated as foreign-source — which includes most crypto disposals and foreign securities — are generally exempt from personal income tax under Georgia's territorial approach. There is no formal per-transaction exemption; the shelter comes from the foreign-source classification, so Georgian-source gains can still be taxable. Residency is reachable either by 183 days of presence or via the High Net Worth Individual route. Low cost of living, easy banking and a fast setup make it the pragmatic pick for a mobile investor. See our Georgia tax residency guide.

How this fits a borderless plan

Zero capital gains tax is only useful if you actually become tax resident somewhere that grants it — and cleanly break residency from wherever taxed you before. That means establishing genuine ties, meeting day-count and substance tests, and, for US citizens, remembering that citizenship-based taxation follows you regardless. Start with how to establish tax residency abroad for the mechanics of the move.

Capital gains is one lever; income is another. Many 0% CGT jurisdictions — the UAE, Monaco, Cayman, the Bahamas — also charge no income tax, which is why they double as relocation targets. Compare them in our pillar on countries with no income tax in 2026. If crypto is the asset you're trying to realise tax-free, pair the residency question with self-custody hygiene in holding Bitcoin across borders, and learn the language — territorial taxation, exit tax and the 183-day rule all decide whether your 0% is real.

How Expectat helps you keep your capital gains

Reading a ranking is the easy part — turning it into a move is where most people stall. Here’s how we close that gap with you:

• We start from your numbers, not a brochure. A first session maps your income, assets, citizenship and family against the shortlist above — and tells you honestly which options fit you, and which only look good on paper.
• We sequence the move around the sale. Establishing residency so a disposal lands in a 0% window — legally, with the paper trail to prove it.
• We execute on the ground. We sequence the filings, introduce the vetted local lawyers, tax advisors and banks who’ve done it before, and stay with you until it’s actually done.

You don’t need to become a tax expert or trust a forum thread — that’s our job. Book a strategy call and we’ll turn this into a concrete, personal plan.