France has a strong economy in Europe and does a lot of trading worldwide. Back in 2022, they were trading about $214 billion in forex every day. They also have rules to keep the financial stuff in line and make sure everyone, even small forex traders, gets a fair shake. Lots of forex brokers are working with folks there, but some are better than others.
So, after doing a bunch of digging, we put together a list of the most reliable forex brokers in France to help people there make smarter choices. We looked at things like how they’re regulated, their prices, how they handle orders, what kind of currencies you can trade, and what their platforms are like. Our team even tried out all the brokers we suggest with real accounts to be sure they give customers in France a great experience when trading forex.
74-89 % of retails CFD accounts lose money
73.85 % of retails CFD accounts lose money
59.57 % of retails CFD accounts lose money
Trading leveraged product is risky
74-89% of retails CFD accounts lose money
The vast majority of retail client accounts lose money
71 % of retails CFD accounts lose money
Forex Broker | Trustpilot Reviews | |
2140 | ||
3,903 | ||
289 | ||
12,955 | ||
4,156 | ||
149 | ||
1,737 | ||
1,095 | ||
2,452 | ||
Forex Broker | EURUSD | USDJPY | EURGBP | GBPUSD |
1.01 avg (Classic) | 1.17 avg (Classic) | 1.29 avg (Classic) | 1.14 avg (Classic) | |
0.96 avg (Standard) | 1.47 avg (Standard) | 1.19 avg (Standard) | 1.12 avg (Standard) | |
1.43 | 1.60 | 0.1 (MT4) 1.3 (MT5 | 2.03 | |
4. Capital.com | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
5. Spreadex | from 0.6 | from 0.7 | from 0.9 | from 0.9 |
0.7 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | |
0.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | |
1.0 min (Standard) | 0.9 min (Standard) | 1.3 min (Standard) | 1.3 min (Standard) | |
1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
Forex Broker | Commission per lot |
1. Forex.com | $0 for Standard accounts; $5 per standard lot per side for Raw accounts |
2. Capital.com | $0 |
3. Spreadex | $0 |
$0 | |
$0 Classic Account, $4.50 round turn on Zero Account | |
$0 Standard Accounts; $7 round turn on Raw Accounts | |
$0 on Standard Account; $3.5 per side on Raw+ and Elite Accounts | |
$0 on Standard Account; $7 round trip on Pro Account | |
$0 Ultra Low Micro and Ultra Low Standard Accounts; $3.50 per side XM Zero Account |
Important Note: If you’re a French trader, it’s a good idea to open a real account with brokers approved by the AMF or another EU regulator that follows MiFID I and II rules. Brokers regulated by the AMF and the EU usually have really high standards for being open, safe, and following the rules.
Fusion Markets Broker Details | |
Supports German | No |
Germany Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC, FSA (Seychelles), VFSC (Vanuatu) |
Min Deposit | $0 |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, cTrader, DupliTrade, Fusion+ Copy Trade, TradingView |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.7 out of 3,162 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 80+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 (1:500 for forex and metals via VFSC) Index CFDs: 1:5 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 (ASIC), 1:10 (FSA, VFSC) |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.01 avg (Classic) USDJPY: 1.17 avg (Classic) EURGBP: 1.29 avg (Classic) GBPUSD: 1.14 avg (Classic) |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 Classic Account, $4.50 round turn on Zero Account |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, Jeton Wallet, Perfect Money, Online Naira, Doku, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, USDT, Tether, Ripple, bank wire, ZotaPay, VNPay, DuitNow, XPay, DragonPay, VAPay, FasaPay, AstroPay, PayID, Jetonbank, Sticpay, Interac, LuqaPay, Zotapay, MiFinity |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Bank Wire, Skrill, Neteller,Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, Ripple, MiFinity, Interac, PayPal, AstroPay, Jetonbank, DragonPay |
Fusion Markets was started back in 2017 by a group of Australian traders who really knew their stuff. Since then, it’s become a go-to choice for traders around the world. While lots of brokers talk about low spreads, Fusion Markets has actually proven it—earning the “Lowest Spread Forex Broker” award from BrokerChooser four years in a row.
What really makes them stand out, though, is how affordable they are. The commission is just $2.25 per lot (that’s $4.50 for a full trade), which is great if you’re trying to keep your trading costs down.
They also take regulation seriously. Fusion Markets is licensed by a few major authorities, including ASIC in Australia (Licence No. 385620), the Seychelles FSA, and regulators in Vanuatu. If you’re trading under ASIC, you also get negative balance protection—so your losses can’t go beyond your account balance.
There’s no minimum deposit to get started, and they support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader. On top of all that, they’ve got a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, with over 1,300 people leaving glowing reviews. Safe to say, they’ve built a solid reputation.
Global Prime Broker Details | |
Supports French | No |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC (No. 385620), VFSC (No. 40256) |
Min Deposit | $0 |
Trading Platforms | MT4, MT4 Webtrader, MT4 Android; for VFSC clients MT4, MT5, and GP Copy |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.6 out of 247 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 56 |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:500 (1:30 for ASIC entity) Index CFDs: 1:100 (1:20 for ASIC entity) Cryptocurrencie CFDs: Up to 1:2 (ASIC); Up to 1:5 (Pro and VFSC) |
Spread | EURUSD: 0.96 avg (Standard) USDJPY: 1.47 avg (Standard) EURGBP: 1.19 avg (Standard) GBPUSD: 1.12 avg (Standard) |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 Standard Accounts; $7 round turn on Raw Accounts |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Gate8, Dragonpay, Fasapay, VNPay, Pagsmile, BPay, POLi, AstroPay, Bank Transfer, Interac, Perfect Money, PayID, Jeton, MiFinity, XPay, Crypto |
Withdrawal Methods | Mastercard, Visa, Local Bank Transfer, Bank Wire Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, AstroPay, PayPal, Dragonpay, Perfect Money, Jeton, Interac, Cryptocurrencies |
Global Prime has been offering low-cost, reliable trading services since 2010. It’s regulated by financial authorities in both Australia and Vanuatu, giving traders a level of oversight that adds confidence. The broker gives access to over 150 tradable instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and more than 50 currency pairs. For those using a raw spread account, major forex pairs can start at 0.0 pips, and most trades are executed in around 10 milliseconds.
If you’re trading through their ASIC-regulated branch, you’ll be using MetaTrader 4. However, those under VFSC regulation also get access to MetaTrader 5—and there are plans to support TradingView soon, which is great to see.
What helps Global Prime stand out is its smooth sign-up process, zero fees for deposits and withdrawals, and reliable 24/7 support. These features have earned it a solid 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot. That said, there’s still room for improvement. Currently, Global Prime doesn’t offer cent accounts or swap-free (Islamic) accounts, which may be a drawback for some traders. There’s also no compensation scheme in place to protect client funds, which is another area where the broker could do better.
FP Markets Broker Details | |
Supports German | Yes |
Germany Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC, CySEC, FSA (Seychelles), FSCA, FSA (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), SCB (Bahamas) |
Min Deposit | $50 (AU$100) |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, WebTrader, IRESS, cTrader, TradingView |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.9 out of 8,641 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 70+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: Up to 1:2 (Retail); Up to 1:5 (Pro) |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.2 USDJPY: 1.4 EURGBP: 1.4 GBPUSD: 1.5 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 Standard Account; $6 round turn on Pro Account |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Bank Transfer, Skill, Sticpay, Fasapay, Virtual Pay, Perfect Money, Pagsmile, Dragonpay, Crypto, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Online Banking, Broker to Broker, PayPal, XPay, Rapyd |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Bank Wire, Neteller, Skrill, Paytrust88, PayPal |
FP Markets started online trading in 2005, so they have some know-how. They aim to give customers good trading conditions. Traders can play with many currency pairs and CFDs. What’s cool is their low spreads, the trading platforms people use, and helpful stuff for newbies. FP Markets uses MetaTrader 4 and 5, IRESS, TradingView, and WebTrader, so there’s something for everyone. They have a mobile app for Android and iOS, making trading easy on the go. People like FP Markets because of their tight spreads. Reviewers on Trustpilot gave them a high score of 4.9 out of 5. FP Markets members can get leverage up to 1:30 on some products, like major currency pairs. To keep traders safe, they follow rules from regulators in Australia (License No. 286354) and Cyprus (License No. 371/18).
Axi Broker Details | |
Supports French | Yes |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC, FCA, CySEC, DFSA, FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), FMA |
Min Deposit | $0; $5 (EU and UK) |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MT4 WebTrader, Axi Mobile |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.5 out of 3,793 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 80 |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.2 USDJPY: 1.3 EURGBP: 1.1 GBPUSD: 1.3 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 on Standard Account; $7 round trip on Pro Account |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Bank Transfer, Neteller, Skrill, AstroPay, Fasapay, Przelewy24, Boleto, Pix, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Tether, Stellar, POLi, iDEAL, Sofort, Giropay |
Withdrawal Methods | Mastercard, Visa, Bank Transfer, Przelewy24, Fasapay, Skrill, AstroPay, Pix, Boleto, Neteller, Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, Stellar |
BlackBull Markets started back in 2014 and is a big player because they have tons of stuff to trade—around 26,000 different things! If you’re into forex, they’ve got you covered with over 70 currency pairs, from the majors to the more unusual ones. You can trade these using one of their three ECN account types: Standard, Prime, and Institutional. Plus, you can trade other things like commodities, stocks, indices, and futures there, too. This brokerage has licenses from the FSA (Seychelles) and the FMA. Their trading terms are not too bad, but what you pay depends on the account you choose. If you don’t want to pay any commission, go for the ECN Standard account. Spreads usually start around 0.8 pips, and there’s no minimum to deposit. Now, the ECN Prime and ECN Institutional accounts are better if you know your stuff and trade big volumes. Just a heads up, they charge higher commissions per lot on these accounts. If you’ve got a live account, you can add funds using cards, digital wallets, online banking, bank transfers, or even cryptocurrencies. Putting money in is free, but this brokerage is based in New Zealand and they charge a $5 fee for every withdrawal, no matter how you do it.
Forex.com Broker Details | |
Supports French | No |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC, MAS, FCA, CIRO, JFSA, CFTC, CySEC, CIMA, CySEC |
Min Deposit | $100 |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, WebTrader, NinjaTrader |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.7 out of 2,069 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 80+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.0 min (Standard) USDJPY: 0.9 min (Standard) EURGBP: 1.3 min (Standard) GBPUSD: 1.3 min (Standard) |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 for Standard accounts; $5 per standard lot per side for Raw accounts |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Wire Transfer, PayPal |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Wire Transfer, Neteller, Skrill, PayPal |
FxPro Broker Details | |
Supports German | Yes |
Germany Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | FCA (No. 509956), CySEC (No. 078/07), FSCA (No.45052), SCB (No. SIA-F184), FSA (SD120) |
Min Deposit | $100 |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, cTrader, FxPro Edge (proprietary) |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.3 out of 1098 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 70+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.43 USDJPY: 1.60 EURGBP: 0.1 (MT4) 1.3 (MT5) GBPUSD: 2.03 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 on Standard Account; $3.5 per side on Raw+ and Elite Accounts |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Domestic Bank Transfer, International Bank Transfer, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, Union Pay, Broker-to-Broker Transfer |
Withdrawal Methods | Bank Transfer, Mastercard, Visa, Union Pay, Maestro, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller |
Axi Broker Details | |
Supports French | Yes |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | ASIC, FCA, CySEC, DFSA, FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), FMA |
Min Deposit | $0; $5 (EU and UK) |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MT4 WebTrader, Axi Mobile |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.5 out of 3,793 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 80 |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 1.2 USDJPY: 1.3 EURGBP: 1.1 GBPUSD: 1.3 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 on Standard Account; $7 round trip on Pro Account |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, Bank Transfer, Neteller, Skrill, AstroPay, Fasapay, Przelewy24, Boleto, Pix, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Tether, Stellar, POLi, iDEAL, Sofort, Giropay |
Withdrawal Methods | Mastercard, Visa, Bank Transfer, Przelewy24, Fasapay, Skrill, AstroPay, Pix, Boleto, Neteller, Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, Stellar |
Since 2007, Axi has helped 60,000 traders from over 100 countries by offering cheap trading on 290+ instruments in five asset classes. They’re licensed by ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand), and FCA (UK). In Europe, they’re good to go because of a CySEC license. Plus, they’ve got licenses from DFSA (Dubai) and FSA (St. Vincent & the Grenadines), so they’re pretty global. Traders worldwide seem to like them, and there haven’t been any scandals. This broker, based in Sydney, gives customers access to 70+ currency pairs and doesn’t charge commissions on standard accounts for currency trades. Pro and Elite accounts have commissions, but they’re about average for the industry. You can also trade hard and soft commodities, stock indices, cryptos, and stocks at good prices on the MT4 platform. How much you can borrow varies depending on where you live, but some customers can get up to 1:500 leverage. They offer several base currencies for accounts to help traders save on conversion fees. Axi also supports its international customers with a lot of payment options. Just keep in mind that some, like Fasapay and Boleto, are only for certain regions.
XM Group Broker Details | |
Supports French | Yes |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | CySEC (license no. 120/10), (ASIC) (ref. no. 443670), FSC Belize (license no. 000261/27), FSC of Mauritius (GB23202700), FSA Seychelles (SD190), DFSA (ref. no. F003484), FSCA (49976), Registrations for EU passporting: - BaFin, CNMV, MNB, CONSOB, ACPR, FIN-FSA (Finland), KNF, AFM, FI |
Min Deposit | $5 |
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, MT4 WebTrader, MT5 WebTrader, MT4 Multiterminal, XM App |
Trustpilot Rating | 3.8 out of 2,115 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 50+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 0.8 USDJPY: 0.8 EURGBP: 1.5 GBPUSD: 0.8 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 Ultra Low Micro and Ultra Low Standard Accounts; $3.50 per side XM Zero Account |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard. Skrill, Bank Transfer, Neteller, Apple Pay, Google Pay, UnionPay, Maestro |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, China Union Pay, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer |
XM started back in 2009 and now has over 15 million customers because it gives online traders a great experience. People trust XM because of things like small spreads and good prices. Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd runs XM, and it’s watched over by big regulators like CySEC, ASIC, and FSA. Because of its CySEC license, XM can offer services in lots of EU countries, with registrations including BaFIN, CNMV, MNB, CONSOB, and KNF. XM works with MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, which you can get on the web, your computer, or your phone. They also have the XM App, which people like and you can find in the App Store and Google Play. It makes trading on your phone easy. They have different accounts like Demo, Standard, Micro, Ultra Low, Zero, Shares, and Islamic, but what’s available depends on where you are. You can trade over 1,400 things like Forex, Stock CFDs, Crypto, Commodities, and Indices. Most accounts only need $5 to start, and that’s also the least you can take out. The only exception is the XM Invest Account, where you need $10,000 to get started. It’s easy to pay because they take bank cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers to manage your XM balance.
easyMarkets Broker Details | |
Supports French | No |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | CySEC (license no. 079/07), ASIC (license no. 246566), FSA (license no. SD056), FSCA (54018), and FSC (license no. SIBA/L/20/1135) |
Min Deposit | $25 |
Trading Platforms | easyMarkets Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.3 out of 1,714 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 95+ |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 Index CFDs: 1:20 Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 |
Spread | EURUSD: 0.7 USDJPY: 1.2 EURGBP: 1.0 GBPUSD: 1.3 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, Sofort, iDEAL, Web Money, BPay, Bank Transfer |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, Sofort, iDEAL, Web Money, BPay, Bank Transfe |
Since 2001, easyMarkets has become a leading broker, serving all kinds of traders. They’ve got licenses to operate in lots of different places. To keep traders safe, they’re watched over by groups like CySEC (license no. 079/07), ASIC (license no. 246566), FSA (license no. SD056), FSCA (license no. 54018), and FSC (license no. SIBA/L/20/1135). easyMarkets was one of the first to do online trading, introducing cool tools like dealCancellation, Freeze Rate, and Inside Viewer. They offer a few platform options. There’s their own platform, which is simple to use but still has some advanced tools for experienced traders. Plus, you can also use MetaTrader 4 and 5, as well as TradingView. If you wanna trade on your phone, they have an easyMarkets app for both Android and iOS. Many traders like easyMarkets because of the decent spreads and low fees. They have a score of 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, which backs up their good name as a broker. You can start trading with just a $25 deposit, and they take lots of different payment methods.
ActivTrades Broker Details | |
Supports French | Yes |
French Currency (EUR) | Yes |
Regulators | FCA (UK), CMVM (Portugal), CVM (Brazil), SCB (Bahamas), FSC (Mauritius) |
Min Deposit | $0 |
Trading Platforms | ActivTrader, TradingView, MT4, MT5 |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.5 out of 1,460 reviews |
Number of CFD Forex Pairs to Trade | 56 |
Leverage | Forex & Metals CFDs: 1:30 (1:400 Bahamas) Index CFDs: 1:20 (1:200 Bahamas) Cryptocurrencie CFDs: 1:2 (1:20 Bahamas) |
Spread | EURUSD: 0.50 USDJPY: 0.50 EURGBP: 0.80 GBPUSD: 0.80 |
Forex Commission per Lot per Trade | $0 |
Deposit Methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer, Cryptocurrencies |
Withdrawal Methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer, Cryptocurrencies |
ActivTrades is a broker that’s been around for more than 23 years. They’re watched over by the FCA, FSC, SCB, CVM, and CMVM. They focus on keeping things secure and prices clear, plus they have small spreads on over 1,100 trading options in six groups. You can trade stuff like shares, indexes, commodities, ETFs, and bonds aside from just forex. You can open accounts in pounds and trade without commissions in all markets. The most leverage for regular customers is 1:30, but those who qualify for professional accounts can get up to 1:400. ActivTrades tries to help its customers by protecting them from going into a negative balance and insuring funds up to $1 million. Actually, ActivTrades was the first UK broker to offer extra insurance beyond the standard $50,000 per client back in 2013. To add money to your account, you can use cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets like PayPal. There’s no minimum to deposit, but there’s a 1.5% charge if you use a credit or debit card.
In France, forex trading is legal, but brokers have to meet a bunch of rules to do business there legally. If a company wants to offer forex trading to French customers, they gotta get the thumbs-up from the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), which is the local financial watchdog. Getting the AMF’s okay is super important. It means the company is following France’s tough rules, which are there to make sure trading is fair for everyone and to stop bad stuff like money laundering.
People in France can trade stuff like spot forex and derivatives, such as contracts for difference (CFDs). The AMF has put limits on how much leverage regular folks can use when trading. This is to protect them from the risks of trading derivatives. Brokers can’t go wild advertising risky, high-leverage products to French people. Back in 2019, France even banned the advertising and selling of binary options to regular traders.
The AMF keeps an eye on forex trading in France, thanks to the Financial Security Act of 2003, which is how the AMF got started. They watch over everyone in the market who’s allowed to be there – forex brokers, advisors, investment firms, the whole deal.
Basically, they want to keep the financial markets running smoothly, make sure investors feel good about things, and help local traders learn enough about what they’re putting money into. The AMF works with the ACPR, which is part of the Bank of France. The ACPR checks banks and insurance companies to be sure they’re following the rules about money laundering. The AMF and ACPR often warn people about companies that offer forex and other investments without permission, just to keep folks in France safe from scams.
The AMF also makes sure that financial companies in France follow the rules of MiFID II. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) came up with MiFID in 2014 to make financial rules the same all over the EU. Because of MiFID, there’s a system that lets brokers licensed in other EU countries do business in France, and the other way around.
If a broker is okay to work with French traders, they usually have the AMF’s approval or backing from another top-notch EU financial group. Like I was saying, MiFID helped set up a single set of rules so EU-approved brokers can trade all over the EEA. Because of this system, brokers registered in the EEA can offer their services in other member countries without getting more permission.
French customers can feel safe trading with brokers checked by groups like CySEC in Cyprus, BaFin in Germany, and Finanstilsynet in Denmark. Most EU regulators, like the AMF, keep lists of the financial companies they watch over. This helps traders easily check if a broker is legit. It’s a good idea for French traders to verify a broker’s approval by checking the AMF’s official list and the REGAFI (Banque de France’s list) to stay away from unauthorized companies. French traders can type in the broker’s name or number in the AMF list to see if they’re approved.
On the other hand, if they think a broker is trying to rip off French customers without permission, they can check the regulator’s bad list. This list is updated each month, if they need to. Lastly, French people can reach out to the group itself through the contact form on their site or by calling (+33)1 5345 6200. The phone line is open on weekdays from 9 am to 12:30 pm.
Forex brokers in France have to follow strict rules to keep regular customers safe and make sure everyone trades fairly. If a company follows MiFID, it has to keep customer money separate from its own and put it in different accounts in big European banks. This way, traders can get their money back quickly if the broker closes down. Trading with borrowed money can be risky and cause huge losses. Brokers that follow EU and AMF rules limit how much regular traders can borrow to prevent them from getting into big debt. In France, the limit changes between 1:30 and 1:2, depending on how risky the assets are.
MiFID also says that brokers have to close positions when a customer’s money drops below a certain level (50% under EU rules). French customers also get negative balance protection, which stops their accounts from going into debt when the market is very unstable.
In France, CFD providers can’t push regular traders to invest in risky products or advertise them a lot. The French financial regulator stopped all online ads for forex, CFDs, and binary options in 2017. Brokers have to tell regular customers about the risks of trading with borrowed money by putting warnings on their websites. These warnings should always be easy to see and should say how many regular customers lose money when trading CFDs with that broker. Traders who lose money because a company fails can get at least €20,000 back because all brokers in France participate in compensation programs.
Forex brokers in France give regular customers guaranteed stop-losses and keep them from owing money if they use leverage. This keeps new traders from losing more than they have.
This really helps when the market’s all over the place. Trades with leverage can put you in the hole, but you’ll only lose what you started with. The broker eats the rest. Keeping your balance above zero, along with margin closeouts, really cuts risk.
In France, if you make money trading foreign exchange, you have to pay taxes. You’ll likely pay a flat capital gains tax of 12.8% on what you earn. Regular folks trading also have to pay an extra 17.2% for social taxes, which help fund the local social security. So, altogether, you’re looking at a 30% flat rate right now.
How your forex profits are taxed can also depend on whether you’re just trading for yourself or doing it as a job. If you’re seen as a pro trader, you might get taxed at a higher rate, up to 45%, depending on your income. Plus, you might need to register as self-employed or as a business.
If you earn a lot—over €250,000 if you’re single, or €500,000 if you’re a couple—there’s also something called a differential contribution on high incomes. This could apply to your capital gains too, and it has a minimum tax rate of 20%, not counting social contributions. Lots of other stuff can change how you’re taxed, like how much you make overall and how long you keep your trades open. It’s a good idea to get advice from a tax pro to make sure you’re doing everything by the rules.
Like we said before, if a broker follows AMF rules, they have to limit how much leverage regular customers can use, like what’s in the MiFID rules. Leverage lets traders make their trades seem bigger than they really are, even if they don’t have much money. This could make you more money, but if you mess up and lose, you could end up in big debt, mostly if you’re new to this.
These limits are there to keep regular folks safe when they use leverage to pump up their CFD trades. If you’re in France, the most you can leverage is 1:30 for major forex pairs, and 1:20 for other forex stuff, gold, and big stock indexes. Riskier stuff has lower limits – like 1:10 for other commodities and smaller stock indexes, 1:5 for single stocks, and just 1:2 for crypto trades.
Now, some brokers work with French customers but have licenses from places like Mauritius or the Bahamas. The rules in those spots are way different than in France or the EU. So, these brokers can let you use way bigger leverage, sometimes as high as 1:3,000 for forex majors. It might sound good, but if you’re a regular trader in France, watch out using that much leverage – you could lose big time.
If you’re a French trader, you might get leverage as high as 1:200 or even 1:500 if you’re good enough for a pro account. But, brokers in France have rules you need to meet before they let you change your account from regular to pro.
To qualify, you need to show that you’ve made at least 10 big trades each quarter over the last year. Each of those trades needs to be worth at least €50,000.
Plus, you need to have assets like €500,000 or more. They also look at what you know about trading and how much experience you have. People wanting to upgrade need to work or have worked in finance. They have to really understand how trading with derivatives works.
Pro clients get better stuff like higher leverage, but they don’t get negative balance protection. So, think about that before you switch to a pro account. These tough rules make sure that people who want higher leverage really know what they’re doing and can handle the risks without the usual protections.
Forex brokers in the EU and those regulated by the AMF try to give you a smooth trading time. They aim for correct prices and super-quick order processing, cutting down on delays and re-quotes. Some do this by making their own trading platforms. Others mix their own programs with platforms from other companies, like MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView.
Each platform has good and bad points, so it’s a good idea to try out the free demo accounts to really check them out. Demo accounts work pretty much like real accounts. This lets newbies get used to the layout and get a feel for how things work. How you trade and how much experience you have should really decide which platform is best for you.
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) is primarily geared toward the needs of beginners who are just wading into the vast waters of forex trading. It is easy to work with but still has powerful capabilities and plenty of tools for charting and technical analysis.
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) can better accommodate seasoned French traders seeking to diversify their portfolios and perform more detailed market analysis. MT5 facilitates trading with additional instruments and boasts more advanced analytical tools.
TradingView is ideal for French residents looking to exchange ideas and strategies with fellow investors as it is home to a global community of over 500 million users. Copy traders from France commonly have access to the cTrader platform, which comes with multiple order types, great charting tools, and the capability of replicating the positions of successful traders into your own portfolio.
AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) is responsible for regulating all foreign exchange brokers registered in the country. The watchdog provides extensive information about the regulatory policies pertaining to retail customers and professional investors.
Take your complaints to the AMF Financial Ombudsman when experiencing issues with a broker or another financial intermediary. Ombudsman Cohen-Branche and her team will assist you in resolving your disputes promptly and amicably.
Banque de France runs a register (REGAFI) where residents can find companies authorized to engage in banking, payment or financial services according to the requirements of the Monetary and Financial Code.
Follow AMF on social media for the latest announcements published by the French regulator. The watchdog maintains up-to-date accounts on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
You suspect you are dealing with a shady forex broker? Search suspicious companies in the official AMF blacklist, available in French only.
Think Forex Brokers provides independent comparisons of regulated brokers across forex, stocks, and crypto. Information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always verify broker regulation before trading
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