France stands as one of Europe's most cryptocurrency-friendly nations, providing a supportive and unambiguous legal framework for cryptocurrencies and digital assets. While it permits crypto payments, it does not recognize them as legal tender, treating and taxing cryptocurrency income and gains as commodities. The country also has regulatory measures in place for crypto-asset trading platforms and crypto payments, with these based on registration and licensing regimes. France actively encourages innovation in the crypto and blockchain sectors, having issued several guidelines and recommendations to foster the industry's growth.
Despite not having any distinct laws or regulations explicitly addressing crypto payments, France abides by the overarching principles of its current legal framework for financial services and taxation. Thus, crypto payments are governed by the same rules and responsibilities as traditional payment forms, including anti-money laundering (AML) measures, consumer protection, and tax compliance.
France's main regulatory authority for crypto payments is the Financial Markets Authority (AMF), which supervises the issuance and trading of digital assets as well as the provision of crypto-related services.