How to buy bitcoin in France
- Status
- Legal
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Recommended
- 7 exchanges
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-12
France is one of the easiest places in Europe to buy bitcoin, and Bitvavo leads our ranking as the largest euro exchange and the cheapest here on fees, ahead of Relai, a Swiss bitcoin-only app that defaults to self-custody and holds a MiCA licence covering the EEA, and Kraken, which pairs low fees with one of the industry's cleanest security records. Bitpanda, Coinbase, Bitstamp, and Binance also serve French customers under the EU framework. Nearly everyone funds purchases by SEPA transfer, which is free or close to it from any French bank. The rules are strict but clear: since the MiCA transition closed on 1 July 2026, only providers authorised under the EU regulation may operate, and the AMF publishes who qualifies, so checking a platform's status takes a minute.
Best exchanges in France
Ranked by our editorial review of fees, security record, and local payment support. Rankings are never sold.
| # | Exchange | Rating | Fees | ID check | Pay with | Visit or read the review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitvavo | 4.5 | 0.15% maker at the base tier | Required | Visit | |
| 2 | Relai | 4.5Bitcoin-only | Around 1% per purchase | Required | Visit | |
| 3 | Kraken | 4.7 | From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker | Required | Visit | |
| 4 | Bitpanda | 4.4 | Premium built into the price | Required | Visit | |
| 5 | Coinbase | 4.5 | Maker-taker on Advanced Trade | Required | Visit | |
| 6 | Bitstamp | 4.3 | Maker-taker, falls with volume | Required | Visit | |
| 7 | Binance | 4.2 | From 0.1% spot, maker and taker | Required | Visit |
Some Visit buttons above are referral links: signing up through them is credited to us and may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Which platforms pay makes no difference to the ranking.
Why these picks
1. Bitvavo The largest euro spot exchange in the world, licensed under MiCA by the Dutch regulator, with free euro and iDEAL deposits.
SEPA transfer: free
MiCA-authorised by the Dutch regulator; the largest euro order book in the EEA
2. Relai Swiss bitcoin-only app with SEPA instant buys, self-custody by default, and a MiCA license covering the EEA.
3. Kraken A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.
4. Bitpanda Austria's regulated broker with three MiCAR licenses, built for European savers who fund by SEPA.
5. Coinbase The easiest US on-ramp for beginners, publicly listed, and legally in the clear since the SEC dropped its case.
6. Bitstamp One of the oldest bitcoin exchanges, now owned by Robinhood and powering its UK and institutional crypto rails.
7. Binance The largest crypto exchange by volume: the deepest bitcoin liquidity anywhere, the lowest headline spot fee of any major platform, and quarterly proof of reserves, under a settled US case and an independent monitor.
Payment methods in France
The rails local buyers actually use, under their local names. Support varies by exchange; the list above shows exactly which methods each one takes here.
- SEPA transferPrimary
Crypto cards available in France
These spend money at ordinary shops and pay you back in crypto, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those buy bitcoin, these do not. Availability is the issuer's own published coverage.
- Bitget Wallet Card2% base assetback on every cardholder, rising to 3% once monthly spend clears a $200-$400 threshold depending on region and card type; paid in a choice of BTC, gold, US stocks, and other assets.
- Bitpanda CardFlat 1% cashback in the same crypto asset used for each purchase, available to all cardholders since April 2025 with no token-holding or staking tier required.
- Bybit Card2% to 10% cashback via a six-tier VIP ladder in most regions; EEA-issued cardholders without VIP status earn a flat 1% since August 2026.
- Coinbase CardUS Visa debit: rotating rewards up to 4% on selected altcoins, 1% on BTC/ETH/DOGE/DAI. Coinbase One Card: 2% to 4% Bitcoin back tiered by Assets on Coinbase, capped at the first $10,000 of monthly spend for the boosted tiers.
- ether.fi Cash3% cashback on the first $2,000 (Core), $10,000 (Luxe), or $50,000 (Pinnacle) of monthly spend, stepping down to 1% then 0.5% beyond that band; invitation-only VIP pays 4% on its first $50,000.
- Gnosis Pay Card (Gnosis Card)1% to 4% cashback in GNO based on GNO held (0.1 to 100+ GNO), plus a further 1% for OG NFT holders, up to a 5% maximum, under an interim programme running through September 30, 2026.
- Nexo CardUp to 2% crypto cashback (in NEXO Tokens) or 0.5% in Bitcoin when spending in Credit Mode, tiered by Loyalty Program status which requires a $5,000+ digital asset balance.
- RedotPay CardRoughly 3% cashback on Apple Pay/Google Pay transactions is available to RedotPay Pro subscribers ($12.90/month or $129/year); the base card has no broad percentage-back cashback program.
- Wirex CardCryptoback in WXT ranges 0.5% on the free Standard plan up to 8% on the Elite Ultimate plan, which requires a €29.99/month subscription plus 7.5 million WXT locked for 180 days.
- Crypto.com CardChangedPrepaid Visa: 0% (Basic, free) up to 5% CRO (Private, $500,000 12-month lockup), or 8% at the invitation-only $1M Prime tier; separate US Visa Signature credit card pays up to 6% in BTC or CRO.
- MetaMask CardChanged1% cashback in mUSD on the free Virtual tier; 3% on the first $10,000 of annual spend (then 1%) on the $199/year Metal tier.
Bitcoin wallets available in France
A wallet is where bitcoin lives after you buy it, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those sell it, these hold it. Availability below is the maker's own published shipping or eligibility policy.
Hardware devices
- Keystone 3 Pro$149Air-gapped signing on a 4 inch touchscreen, with three security chips and a fingerprint reader, at $149.
- Ledger Flex$249The Ledger to buy if you want a touchscreen: $249, the same certified chip as the Stax, and more screen pixels than it.
- Ledger Nano S Plus$59Ledger's $59 entry device: the same certified secure element as the $399 Stax, no Bluetooth, and no iPhone support at all.
- Ledger Nano X$79The cheapest Ledger with Bluetooth, now $79 on Ledger's own store, and the one to buy if you want to sign from a phone.
- Ledger Stax$399Ledger's $399 flagship, with the biggest screen it sells and exactly the same secure element as the $59 Nano S Plus.
- Tangem Wallet$59.9A smart card you tap against your phone, sold only in sets of two or three so your backup is another card rather than a written seed.
Desktop and browser
Compare every wallet, including the ones we tell you not to buy
Watch: how to choose an exchange
This is our general video rather than a walkthrough for France. It shows the method in two steps: first the country you are buying in, then the exchange. You have done step one by being here, so start from the exchanges ranked above.
We have not filmed a walkthrough for France yet, so this is our general one, from our YouTube channel @dontgetrekt. It also sits on the home page, next to the country search it starts from.
Do you need a VPN?
A VPN hides which sites you visit from the network you are on and from your internet provider, which is worth having when you move money over a connection you do not control. It does not get you past an exchange's identity checks: every platform we list verifies who you are no matter where you connect from.
If you want one, the strongest records on our list belong to NordVPN (6 independent no-logs audits, the most of any service we review), Windscribe (its no-logs claim tested in the real world 3 times) and Proton VPN (the most audited service with a free tier).
Buying bitcoin in France, start to finish
Pick a platform and verify your identity
Choose from the table above and complete KYC verification with a photo ID. Regulated platforms in France require this before you can deposit.
Fund your account with SEPA transfer
Common options here: SEPA transfer, SEPA Instant, credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Bank transfers are usually the cheapest; cards are faster but add fees.
Buy, then decide where to keep it
Place your order, and for anything more than pocket money consider moving it to a hardware wallet you control. Our security guide covers the habits that keep coins safe.
Legal status and regulation in France
Bitcoin is fully legal in France, one of Europe's most mature crypto markets. France pioneered national registration through the PACTE law's PSAN regime in 2019, and that framework has now been replaced by the EU's MiCA regulation: the transitional period ended on 1 July 2026, so only crypto-asset service providers authorised under MiCA may serve French customers, with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) as the national gatekeeper alongside the ACPR for anti-money-laundering supervision.
Words worth knowing before you buy in France
Picked from what this page already says about France, not from a standard list.
- MiCAEU member stateMiCA is the European Union's crypto licensing law, and it regulates the companies that sell you bitcoin rather than bitcoin itself, which has no issuer to regulate.
- Recurring buySEPA InstantA recurring buy is the exchange feature that executes a purchase for you on a schedule, pulling money from your bank on the day you picked without you logging in.
- Maker and taker fees7 venues to compareMaker and taker fees are the two prices an exchange charges for a trade: less if your order waits in the book, more if it takes an existing order out.
Frequently asked questions
Is bitcoin legal in France?
Yes, completely. France regulated crypto early through the PACTE law's PSAN registration and now applies the EU's MiCA regulation, with the AMF authorising and supervising providers. Buying, holding, and selling bitcoin is legal for individuals.
How are bitcoin gains taxed in France?
Occasional sellers pay a flat levy on realized gains when they convert crypto to euros or spend it, while crypto-to-crypto trades are not taxable events for individuals. Rates and thresholds change with budget laws, so confirm the current figures on the official impots.gouv.fr guidance before filing.
What is the cheapest way to buy bitcoin in France?
Fund by SEPA transfer, which most platforms accept for free, and buy on an exchange's advanced trading interface rather than the instant-buy screen. Card and instant purchases add a convenience markup that compounds if you buy regularly.
How do I check that a platform is authorised in France?
The AMF maintains a public register of authorised crypto-asset service providers. If a platform marketing to French users does not appear there, it is operating outside the rules and you have no reason to trust it with money.
Companies in France that hold bitcoin
Publicly listed companies headquartered here with bitcoin on the balance sheet. Holdings come from company disclosures and are dated on each page.
