Crypto in France 2026: Over 100 PSAN Registrations, a MiCA Deadline That Just Passed, and Binance France Shutting Down

TL;DR: France built one of Europe's most developed national crypto regulatory frameworks through the PACTE law of 2019, which created the PSAN (Prestataire de Services sur Actifs Numériques) registration regime administered by the AMF. Over 100 platforms registered under PSAN, making France one of the most registered crypto markets in Europe. On July 1, 2026, the PSAN regime ended, replaced entirely by MiCA's CASP authorization framework. The AMF had warned DASPs that failing to obtain MiCA authorization by July 1, 2026 would result in being required to cease activities, with penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment and EUR 30,000 in fines. As of July 1, 22 of 34 tracked platforms had obtained MiCA CASP authorization, either directly through the AMF or through EU passporting. Binance France SAS did not obtain MiCA authorization and ceased its services in France on July 1, 2026, affecting approximately 2 million French users who received notification on June 24, 2026. French crypto taxation applies a flat 30 percent tax (PFU) on occasional crypto disposals unchanged by MiCA. MediaCrypto note: France's crypto story in 2026 is about the collision between a well-established national framework and the mandatory transition to European law, with Binance France's exit as the most visible consequence.

France's crypto regulatory journey is distinctive within the EU because it had a more developed national framework than most member states before MiCA arrived. The PACTE law of 2019 created the PSAN registration system years before MiCA was finalized, and over 100 platforms registered under it, building compliance infrastructure around French requirements that they then had to rebuild or adapt for MiCA. The transition from PSAN to CASP has been France's primary crypto regulatory story for the past 18 months, and July 1, 2026 was the date it resolved.

The PSAN Framework: What France Built Before MiCA

The loi PACTE (Plan d'Action pour la Croissance et la Transformation des Entreprises), enacted in May 2019, was the legislative foundation for France's national crypto regime. It created the PSAN status, requiring any company providing digital asset services to French clients to register with the AMF as a Prestataire de Services sur Actifs Numériques.

PSAN registration required demonstrating that the company's leadership had no criminal history, that the company had adequate AML/CFT procedures, and that it had sufficient technical and organizational capacity to provide the registered services. Registration was not a full licence with capital adequacy requirements, it was more analogous to a quality-checked registration that the AMF could review and revoke for non-compliance.

By early 2026, over 100 platforms had obtained PSAN registration from the AMF, making France one of the most extensively registered crypto markets in Europe by number of registered entities. The registered platforms included major international exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken alongside French-founded platforms like Coinhouse and Paymium.

PSAN registration served French users as a baseline credibility signal: a registered PSAN had passed the AMF's review, while an unregistered platform serving French users was technically in breach of French law. The AMF maintained a public list of PSANs and a separate blacklist of unauthorized platforms, which it threatened to expand with website-blocking measures for the most egregious unregistered operators.

The MiCA Transition: France's Specific Timeline

MiCA became applicable on December 30, 2024. Article 143 of MiCA allowed member states to give existing nationally-registered crypto service providers a transitional period of up to 18 months to obtain CASP authorization under MiCA. France chose the maximum 18-month transitional period, meaning French PSANs could continue operating until July 1, 2026, provided they were working toward MiCA authorization.

The AMF formally implemented this through Ordinance 2024-936 of October 15, 2024 on crypto-asset markets and Decree 2025-169 of February 21, 2025. The AMF's position was clear and consistently communicated from early 2025 onward: platforms that did not obtain MiCA CASP authorization by July 1, 2026 must cease their activities. The penalties for unauthorized operation after that date were explicit: two years imprisonment and EUR 30,000 fines under Articles L. 54-10-4 and L. 572-23 of the Monetary and Financial Code. The AMF specifically reserved the right to publish a blacklist of unauthorized providers and block access to their websites.

Binance France: The Biggest Exit

The most visible consequence of the July 1, 2026 deadline was Binance France SAS's decision not to obtain MiCA authorization and cease services in France. On June 24, 2026, Binance notified approximately 2 million French users that it would cease providing crypto-asset services in France from July 1, 2026.

Binance France SAS was the French-incorporated entity that had held PSAN registration from the AMF since 2022, making Binance one of the most prominent PSANs on the AMF's registered list. Its exit from the French market reflects a pattern visible across multiple European countries, where Binance's global compliance posture has led to exits rather than full MiCA authorization. The situation in France mirrors Binance's exit from Canada and its restricted status in Germany, where BaFin has its own CASP evaluation process.

For Binance's 2 million French users, the practical consequence is the need to transfer holdings to a MiCA-authorized alternative. The two available routes remain: platforms with direct AMF CASP authorization (Deblock, Coinhouse, and others), or platforms with CASP authorization from another EU member state using the MiCA passporting mechanism (Coinbase via its Luxembourg entity, Kraken via Payward Europe, Bitpanda via Austria).

The Authorization Picture at July 1, 2026

Of the 34 platforms tracked as actively serving French users as of mid-2026, 22 had obtained MiCA CASP authorization by the July 1 deadline, either directly through the AMF or through EU passporting from another member state. 12 platforms remained at risk, lacking either an authorization or a clearly communicated compliance roadmap.

For French crypto users, the transition from checking the AMF's PSAN list to checking the ESMA CASP register is the practical due diligence change that July 1 produced. From that date, the relevant verification is the ESMA register rather than the AMF's national list, since MiCA authorization in any EU member state provides passporting rights to serve French clients.

France Chose the Second-Longest Transition

One feature of France's MiCA transition that is worth noting in comparative context: France chose the maximum 18-month transitional period available under MiCA, meaning French PSANs had until July 1, 2026. Germany chose a 12-month transition, meaning German registered platforms faced their deadline at end of 2025. This difference created temporary regulatory arbitrage, with some platforms choosing to apply for CASP authorization in Germany or other states with shorter timelines and then using MiCA passporting to continue French service, rather than waiting for the French transitional period to conclude.

The net effect is that MiCA's implementation in France has been gradual rather than abrupt, with individual platforms making different strategic decisions about which regulator to approach and on what timeline. The July 1 date represents the end of the gradual transition rather than a sudden change, but it does mark the definitive end of the national PSAN framework that France spent six years building.

Tax: The 30 Percent Flat Rate That MiCA Does Not Touch

French crypto taxation is set by Article 150 VH bis of the Code Général des Impôts and applies a flat 30 percent PFU (prélèvement forfaitaire unique) on occasional crypto disposals, the same rate that applies to capital gains from securities. MiCA does not address taxation, which remains national competence, so the 30 percent flat rate continues to apply to French crypto investors regardless of which MiCA-authorized platform they use.

Reporting of accounts held at foreign crypto platforms remains mandatory under the 3916-bis form. As CARF data sharing between tax authorities develops, French tax authorities will have increasing automatic visibility into French crypto holdings and transactions on international platforms.

Major French-Founded Platforms

Alongside the major international exchanges that operate in France, several French-founded crypto platforms have built significant market presence. Coinhouse, founded in Paris in 2014, is one of France's oldest crypto platforms and obtained among the first direct CASP authorizations from the AMF (authorization number A2026-013). Paymium, founded in 2011 and one of Europe's oldest Bitcoin exchanges, holds PSAN registration and has been pursuing its MiCA CASP authorization. Deblock holds authorization number A2025-001 from the AMF, representing one of the first MiCA authorizations issued by French authorities.

Société Générale's crypto subsidiary, SG-FORGE, has been operating as a PSAN-registered entity offering institutional stablecoin services, having issued EUR CoinVertible as a euro-denominated stablecoin for institutional clients. The PACTE framework's first PSAN registration was historically cited as going to Coinhouse, with SG-FORGE among the most notable subsequent registrants, reflecting the entry of major French banking groups into the formal crypto regulatory framework.

About the Author

This article was researched and written by the MediaCrypto editorial team. MediaCrypto is a cryptocurrency news and market analysis publication covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, altcoins, regulatory developments, and market trends. Follow us on X at @MediaCrypto_AI and on Instagram.

FAQ — Crypto in France 2026

Is crypto legal in France? Yes. Cryptocurrency is legal in France and has been regulated since the PACTE law of 2019. From July 1, 2026, all platforms serving French clients must hold MiCA CASP authorization either directly from the AMF or through EU passporting. Operating without authorization now carries penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment and EUR 30,000 in fines.

What happened to Binance France on July 1, 2026? Binance France SAS did not obtain MiCA CASP authorization and ceased providing crypto-asset services in France on July 1, 2026. Approximately 2 million French users received notification on June 24, 2026. Users were directed to transfer their holdings to MiCA-authorized alternatives before the service cessation date.

What was PSAN and why did it end? PSAN (Prestataire de Services sur Actifs Numériques) was France's national crypto registration regime created by the PACTE law of 2019. Over 100 platforms registered under it. The regime ended on July 1, 2026, replaced by MiCA's unified EU CASP authorization framework. France chose the maximum 18-month MiCA transitional period, giving registered PSANs until July 1, 2026 to obtain CASP authorization.

How is crypto taxed in France? French crypto taxation applies a flat 30 percent PFU (prélèvement forfaitaire unique) on occasional crypto disposals under Article 150 VH bis of the Code Général des Impôts. MiCA does not affect taxation, which remains national competence. Accounts at foreign crypto platforms must be reported on form 3916-bis.

Which platforms are authorized to serve French crypto users in 2026? 22 of 34 tracked platforms had obtained MiCA CASP authorization by July 1, 2026. Authorized platforms include Coinhouse (AMF authorization A2026-013), Deblock (A2025-001), Coinbase (via Luxembourg), Kraken (via Payward Europe), and Bitpanda (via Austria). Verification should be done through the ESMA CASP register rather than the former AMF PSAN list.

For live crypto prices and market data see https://mediacrypto.ai/market

Read also: MiCA Regulation Explained What the EU's Crypto Law Actually Does — https://mediacrypto.ai/news/mica-regulation-explained-what-the-eus-crypto-law-actually-does

Read also: Crypto in Germany 2026 Europe's MiCA Leader With a Unique Tax Advantage — https://mediacrypto.ai/news/crypto-in-germany-2026-europes-mica-leader-with-a-unique-tax-advantage

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.