Head of International Corporate Law and Fintech Practice
Expert in fintech, crypto, and international corporate law with over 20 years of experience. Specializes in crypto licensing (VASP/CASP), iGaming business support, and international structuring, asset protection, and OSINT analytics for risk assessment and due diligence.
Opening a bank account in France
France remains an attractive jurisdiction for businesses and private investors – in 2025, the country’s banking and fintech services market is showing active development, and local banks retain a significant share of clients and corporate payments. The law firm “Prikhodko and Partners” supports clients in opening both classic bank accounts and verification in fintech services; below are the specifics, examples and tips for 2025.
The main types of accounts that can be opened in France
- Individual account (compte courant / compte courant particulier) — for salaries, payments, daily transactions.
- Legal entity account (compte professionnel / compte entreprise) — for LLC (SAS / SARL), freelancers-autónomo, branches of foreign companies.
- Specialized accounts — escrow for real estate transactions, accounts for non-residents (non-resident accounts), payment instruments for e-commerce.
- Virtual/non-bank accounts (electronic money, e-wallets) — with Qonto, Lydia, Revolut, N26 and similar providers; suitable for quick start and remote KYC.
Major banks and fintechs
Classic “big banks”: BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, BPCE (Banque Populaire / Caisse d’Épargne), Crédit Mutuel, La Banque Postale — leaders in assets and branch network. BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole traditionally occupy the top in terms of scale of corporate client service.
Popular fintech providers in 2025: Qonto, Lydia, N26, Revolut (EU operations), PayFit, Pennylane — they offer fast opening, API integrations and transparent tariffs; the French fintech ecosystem continues to grow and consolidate.
Stages of opening
- Choosing a partner (bank or fintech). For example, a startup chooses Qonto for the convenience of the API; a corporation — BNP Paribas for a full set of corporate services.
- Preparing documents — passport, proof of address, proof of income/source of funds. For companies – charter, extract from the register, owners’ decisions, financial statements.
- Online registration / registration at the branch – many fintechs allow fully remote KYC, banks – mostly physical presence.
- Verification and AML checks – banks conduct CDD/KYC, sometimes request additional documents regarding the origin of funds.
- Account activation and first payment – after verification, the bank opens an IBAN and the client can make transactions.
Example: our client, a resident of Ukraine, opened an account in a French bank as a non-resident – the process took 10 business days thanks to a pre-prepared AML package.
Typical package of documents
For individuals
- Passport or ID;
- Proof of address in France (utility bill / contract de location) or certificate from the hoster;
- Proof of source of income: payslips, declarations, contracts.
For legal entities
- Articles of association/statutory documents, extract from the Registre du Commerce (K-bis or equivalent);
- Decision on the appointment of a director;
- Tax certificates, financial statements;
- Explanation of the ownership structure (beneficial owners).
Advice from “Prikhodko and Partners”: always add English or French translations and an apostille for key documents – this will speed up the verification process.
Features for non-residents
- Non-residents can open an account, but banks check the origin of funds more strictly; sometimes they require a visa/documents explaining the connection with France (real estate purchase agreement, agreement with a partner).
- Some fintechs allow remote opening completely online (Qonto, N26), but for corporate accounts, large banks usually require a personal visit or a local representative.
- Example: a foreign investor bought real estate in Paris – the bank opened a special mortgage/operating account after submitting a purchase contract and providing a certificate of the source of funds.
Typical difficulties
- AML / CDD requests – banks often require additional documents regarding the origin of funds or business explanations. In 2024-2025, the number of AML checks in French banks increased, which clearly affects the verification times.
- Language barrier and documents without an apostille – translations and assistance from French speakers help to avoid 80% of problems.
- Blocking an account for suspicious transactions – without a prepared explanation, banks can temporarily freeze payments.
- The difference between banks and fintechs regarding turnover requirements and risk appetite.
How do we help with opening accounts?
- Legal support: we prepare a package of documents (translations, apostilles), prepare written explanations of the origin of funds and business memoranda that meet the expectations of French AML officers.
- Structural advice: we advise whether it is more profitable to open an account for an individual, a French legal entity or a European holding (with examples of direct costs and tax consequences).
- Problem cases: we represent the client’s interests at the bank, prepare responses to TRACFIN / ACPR requests, negotiate the lifting of restrictions. In 2025, we successfully unblocked accounts for several clients after preparing detailed AML reports and additional confirmations of the origin of funds.
- Practical case: for a client from Ukraine, we prepared a complete AML package (contracts → invoices → SWIFT), which allowed us to open an account in a French bank within 10 business days.
Opening an account in France in 2025 is a discipline: the right choice of bank/fintech, a prepared package of documents, transparent explanations of the origin of funds and prompt communication with AML officers. “Prikhodko and Partners” supports clients at all stages — from pre-contact preparation to resolving complex situations with blocking or additional checks. If you plan to open an account in France — write to us: we will make a preliminary assessment, a checklist of documents and prepare you for verification so that the process is as quick and painless as possible.
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