Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Regulation in France

Yes. Buying, holding, selling and transferring Bitcoin and other crypto-assets is legal for individuals and businesses in France. There is no ban on cryptocurrency ownership or trading, and France is widely regarded as one of the more crypto-friendly regulated markets in the EU.

However, crypto is not legal tender. The euro is the only official currency, and no person or merchant is obliged to accept Bitcoin as payment. Where a business chooses to accept crypto, it does so voluntarily and remains subject to the usual commercial, consumer-protection and anti-money-laundering rules.

Crypto-assets are treated as a regulated activity rather than as money. The practical effect for users is that crypto is fully legal to use, but the companies that offer crypto services to French residents must be properly authorised. For a broader overview of how different countries approach this, see our guide to crypto regulation.

Supervision of crypto in France is shared between three authorities, with the financial markets regulator in the lead.

• AMF (Autorite des marches financiers) is the financial markets authority and the lead supervisor for crypto-asset service providers. It authorises and registers firms, maintains public registers, and publishes warning lists of unauthorised operators. Its official website is amf-france.org.
• ACPR (Autorite de controle prudentiel et de resolution), attached to the Banque de France, is the prudential and anti-money-laundering supervisor. It gives assent on AML matters for crypto registrations and authorises issuers of stablecoins (e-money tokens and asset-referenced tokens) under MiCA. Its site is acpr.banque-france.fr.
• Banque de France oversees stablecoins used as a means of payment and broader financial-stability questions.

The Ministry of the Economy and Finance sets policy, while the tax authority, the Direction generale des finances publiques (DGFiP), sets and collects tax via impots.gouv.fr. At EU level, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) also play a role.

France's approach to crypto has two layers: an established national regime and the newer EU-wide MiCA regulation that now takes precedence.

From PACTE to MiCA

The 2019 PACTE law introduced the PSAN regime (in English, Digital Asset Service Provider, or DASP), requiring crypto businesses such as exchanges and custodians to register with the AMF, with optional fuller licensing available. More than 100 providers registered under this national framework.

The EU's MiCA regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1114) became applicable to crypto-asset service providers on 30 December 2024 and now governs the sector across all member states. Under MiCA, firms operate as authorised Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs), and an authorisation granted in one EU country can be passported across the bloc.

How French law was adapted

France aligned its national law with MiCA through Ordonnance no. 2024-936 of 15 October 2024 on crypto-asset markets and Decret no. 2025-169 of 21 February 2025, which amended the Monetary and Financial Code, set the split of duties between the AMF and ACPR, and fixed the transition arrangements. The accompanying AML package, including the Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR), has applied to CASPs since December 2024. The official texts are published on Legifrance (Decret 2025-169).

Any firm offering crypto services to French residents, such as exchanges, brokers, custodial wallets and trading platforms, must be authorised. Under the legacy national regime, the regulated activities requiring AMF registration included custody of digital assets for third parties, buying or selling digital assets against legal tender, trading crypto for other crypto, and operating a trading platform.

The AMF began accepting MiCA CASP applications in early 2025 and offers fast-track routes for firms that already held a French DASP registration or licence. A key date for France is 1 July 2026: legacy PSAN/DASP providers were given a transitional period (up to 18 months from MiCA's application) to keep operating while seeking MiCA authorisation. After that date, only firms authorised as CASPs under MiCA may legally provide crypto services to French residents.

As an indication of progress, in January 2026 the AMF reported roughly 90 registered CASPs and around 79 fully authorised CASPs in France; these figures change over time. Operating without authorisation is a criminal offence that can carry imprisonment and substantial fines. For everyday users, the main takeaway is to check that any platform you use appears in the AMF's registers or is authorised under MiCA, and to expect identity verification as standard. See the AMF's MiCA information hub for current details.

Crypto gains are taxable in France, and the system distinguishes between occasional private investors and those whose activity is treated as professional. The figures below are general and can change each year; confirm the current rules with the DGFiP. This is not tax advice.

Individuals (private investors)

For most private investors, capital gains realised when crypto is converted into euros (or other fiat) or used to buy goods and services are taxed under France's flat tax on capital income, the prelevement forfaitaire unique (PFU), known informally as the flat tax. The PFU combines income tax and social contributions. Following the 2026 social-security budget (PLFSS 2026), reporting indicates the combined flat-tax rate rose to about 31.4 percent from 1 January 2026, up from the long-standing 30 percent. Because such rates change, verify the current figure with the DGFiP rather than relying on a number quoted online. Taxpayers may instead elect the progressive income-tax scale where that is more favourable.

What is and is not a taxable event

• Converting crypto to euros, or spending it on goods or services, is generally a taxable disposal.
• Crypto-to-crypto exchanges (for example BTC to ETH) are generally not taxed at the moment of the swap for private investors; tax typically applies only when you cash out to fiat or spend.
• A small annual allowance applies: if your total disposals for the year do not exceed 305 euros, the resulting gains are exempt, though the transactions should still be reported.

Professional activity and reporting

Frequent, organised or business-scale activity, including mining, may be taxed under business or non-commercial-profit (BNC) categories rather than the flat tax, potentially at higher progressive rates. Gains are declared on Form 2086 attached to the annual return, and French residents must also declare crypto accounts held on platforms based abroad. From 2026, EU DAC8 rules require service providers to report clients' crypto transactions to tax authorities. See the official form at impots.gouv.fr (Formulaire 2086), and our general guide to crypto taxes.

Crypto in France sits within strict anti-money-laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist-financing (CTF) rules. Registered and authorised providers must verify customer identity (KYC), monitor transactions and report suspicious activity.

The EU Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR), part of the wider AML package, has applied to CASPs since December 2024 and implements the crypto Travel Rule: identifying information about the sender and recipient must accompany transfers between regulated entities. Enhanced due diligence applies to certain transfers, including some involving self-hosted (private) wallets. KYC checks generally apply regardless of amount.

France has also tightened domestic law: Law no. 2025-532 of 13 June 2025, aimed at narcotics trafficking, extends the presumption of money laundering to transactions using crypto-assets with built-in anonymisation features, meaning assets moved through such mechanisms can be presumed to be crime proceeds unless proven otherwise. At EU level, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), based in Frankfurt, became operational in 2025 and will increasingly coordinate supervision.

French residents have several straightforward ways to buy and use Bitcoin and other crypto-assets. Whichever route you choose, prioritise platforms that are properly authorised to operate in France.

• Crypto exchanges registered with the AMF or authorised as MiCA CASPs let you buy crypto with euros via bank transfer, card or instant SEPA. These usually offer the widest selection and the best rates for larger amounts.
• Brokers and fintech apps available in France offer simpler crypto buying, often with a friendlier interface but sometimes higher fees.
• Bitcoin ATMs and kiosks are legal but are themselves a regulated service requiring AMF registration; expect ID verification and higher fees (see the next section).
• Peer-to-peer trades are possible but carry higher counterparty and fraud risk; favour escrow-based platforms.

Typical steps

• Choose an AMF-registered or MiCA-authorised provider and create an account.
• Complete KYC identity verification (expect to upload ID and proof of address).
• Deposit euros, place your buy order, and review fees and the exchange rate before confirming.
• Consider moving larger holdings to a wallet you control, and keep records for tax purposes.

Using crypto to send money to or from France is also legal, but converting crypto to euros at either end can be a taxable disposal, and money-transfer services are subject to the AML and Travel Rule obligations described above.

Crypto ATMs (kiosks that let you buy or sell crypto with cash or card) are legal in France and can be found in larger cities, though numbers fluctuate as the sector adapts to tighter rules.

Operating a crypto ATM is a regulated service. The AMF and ACPR have publicly reminded operators that buying or selling digital assets for legal tender through a machine requires the appropriate AMF authorisation, with ACPR involvement on AML. Running such machines without authorisation is a criminal offence that can carry imprisonment and a significant fine.

Because of MiCA and the EU AML rules, including the Travel Rule, expect identity verification at ATMs. Anonymous, no-ID cash purchases are increasingly restricted. If you use an ATM, choose an authorised operator, check the fees and exchange rate before confirming, and keep your transaction records.

Bitcoin mining is legal in France. There is no specific prohibition on running mining hardware, and France has not banned proof-of-work mining.

The main constraints are economic and environmental rather than legal. France's electricity is relatively low-carbon thanks to its large nuclear fleet, but retail power prices and grid considerations mean large-scale mining is not always commercially attractive compared with cheaper-energy regions. Energy use and the climate impact of crypto remain active topics in French and EU policy debate, and miners should expect continued scrutiny.

From a tax perspective, mining rewards are generally treated as taxable income, and at scale mining may be considered a professional or business activity with its own tax and reporting obligations. Anyone mining commercially should check the applicable rules and budget for electricity, hardware and tax costs.

The defining theme for 2025 and 2026 is the completion of the move from France's national PSAN/DASP regime to the EU's MiCA framework.

• MiCA application: rules for crypto-asset service providers became applicable on 30 December 2024, with stablecoin rules already in force earlier in 2024.
• National adaptation: Ordonnance 2024-936 (15 October 2024) and Decret 2025-169 (21 February 2025) brought French law into line and set the transition.
• CASP authorisations: the AMF began accepting applications in early 2025; the transitional window for legacy providers closes on 1 July 2026, after which only MiCA-authorised CASPs may serve French residents. The AMF has urged firms to apply in good time.
• Tax: reporting indicates the flat tax (PFU) rose to about 31.4 percent from 1 January 2026 under the PLFSS 2026 budget, and EU DAC8 reporting obligations begin.
• AML: Law 2025-532 (13 June 2025) tightened the treatment of anonymising crypto, and the EU AMLA became operational.
• Enforcement: the AMF and ACPR have continued to expand blacklists of unauthorised crypto and forex websites, adding many names in 2025 and into 2026.

France is expected to keep balancing support for its blockchain and fintech ecosystem with strong consumer protection and AML enforcement. For the latest position, rely on the AMF, the ACPR, the DGFiP and official EU sources. For other jurisdictions, see our regulation hub.

France offers one of the clearer regulatory environments for crypto in Europe, but users should stay aware of the main risks.

Key risks

• Market volatility: prices can fall sharply, and crypto holdings are generally not covered by deposit-guarantee or investor-compensation schemes, so losses from price falls, platform failures, hacks or scams may not be recoverable.
• Fraud and unauthorised platforms: the AMF and ACPR regularly publish blacklists of illegitimate providers. Using an unauthorised platform offers little recourse if things go wrong.
• Compliance and tax errors: failing to declare foreign accounts or gains can lead to penalties.
• Provider transition risk: as MiCA fully replaces the national PSAN regime by 1 July 2026, some providers may withdraw from the French market or change their services if not authorised.

Protecting yourself

Use only AMF-registered or MiCA-authorised platforms; check the AMF blacklists before signing up; be wary of offers promising guaranteed or unusually high returns; never invest more than you can afford to lose; understand the tax consequences before you sell; and consider self-custody and strong security for significant holdings. The AMF's warnings and blacklists are published at amf-france.org (warnings and blacklists). This is general information, not financial advice.

Crypto rules in France are evolving, so always confirm the current position with primary official sources rather than third-party summaries (including this page).

• AMF for the regulator's registers, MiCA guidance and investor warnings: amf-france.org MiCA hub and amf-france.org blacklists.
• ACPR / Banque de France for prudential, AML and stablecoin supervision: acpr.banque-france.fr.
• DGFiP for taxation and the crypto declaration form: impots.gouv.fr.
• Legifrance for the official legal texts (Ordonnance 2024-936, Decret 2025-169 and the Monetary and Financial Code): legifrance.gouv.fr.

To verify a platform, search the AMF's registers and check it is not on the AMF or ACPR blacklists before depositing funds. This page is general information as of 2026 and is not legal, tax or financial advice; confirm your situation with the AMF, the ACPR, the DGFiP or a qualified professional.

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