This is how it works (or at least used to work) in The Netherlands. If you receive Stock options, you pay taxes over the gains, i.e. the money you would have m

This is how it works (or at least used to work) in The Netherlands. If you receive Stock options, you pay taxes over the gains, i.e. the money you would have made if you exercised on that date. Even if you have not exercised. So the options were free, but suddenly you have to find a lot of money to keep them. Or you exercise a part of them.