Retail forex and CFD trading is legal in France and regulated by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), under the EU-wide ESMA rules: a 30:1 leverage cap on majors, negative-balance protection and a ban on bonuses. However, France's Loi Sapin II prohibits the electronic advertising of high-risk speculative products including CFDs to retail clients. For that reason this page is purely informational — Spreadwise carries no partner links and makes no 'open an account' recommendation for France. What follows is regulatory and cost literacy so you can make your own checks on the AMF register.
Regulatory status: France
Trading retail forex and CFDs is legal in France through AMF-authorised firms and EU-passported brokers, under ESMA's 30:1 leverage cap, negative-balance protection and bonus ban. However, France's Loi Sapin II prohibits electronic advertising of high-risk speculative products including CFDs to retail clients — so this page is information-only. We do not run partner links or 'open an account' calls-to-action for France; we publish regulatory and cost literacy so French residents can make their own informed checks on the AMF register.
Regulator: Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) · official register
Broker shortlist for France
| Broker | Regulation | Platforms | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| XTB Est. 2002 | KNFCySECFCA | xStation 5 | |
| Pepperstone Est. 2010 | FCACySECBaFin | MT4 · MT5 · cTrader | |
| IG Est. 1974 | FCABaFin | IG platform · MT4 · ProRealTime | |
| eToro Est. 2007 | CySECFCAASIC | eToro platform | |
| Saxo Est. 1992 | DFSAFCA | SaxoTraderGO · SaxoTraderPRO | |
| CMC Markets Est. 1989 | FCABaFin | Next Generation · MT4 |
- Independent Brokers can't pay for ranking
- Regulation-checked Every licence verified on a register
- No fabricated data Spreads & ratings only when verified
Est. 2002 · XTB Partners
Founded in 2002 and listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, XTB is a multi-regulated broker (KNF, CySEC, FCA) running its own xStation 5 platform. Verify the entity that serves your country on the relevant register before depositing.
Platforms: xStation 5
Est. 2010 · Pepperstone Partners
Founded in 2010, Pepperstone is a multi-regulated broker (FCA, CySEC, BaFin, ASIC) with one of the widest platform line-ups — MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. Confirm the licensed entity that serves your country before depositing.
Platforms: MT4 · MT5 · cTrader · TradingView
Est. 1974 · IG Marketing Partnership
Founded in 1974, IG is one of the longest-established CFD providers, regulated by the FCA in the UK and BaFin in Germany. It offers its own platform alongside MT4 and ProRealTime. Verify the serving entity on the relevant register before depositing.
Platforms: IG platform · MT4 · ProRealTime
Est. 2007 · eToro Partners
Founded in 2007, eToro is a multi-regulated broker (CySEC, FCA, ASIC) known for its single proprietary social-trading platform. The entity and protections that apply depend on your country — confirm on the relevant register before depositing.
Platforms: eToro platform
Est. 1992 · Saxo partner programme
Founded in 1992, Saxo Bank is a regulated investment bank (DFSA in Denmark, FCA in the UK) running its own SaxoTraderGO and SaxoTraderPRO platforms. Confirm the entity that serves your country on the relevant register before depositing.
Platforms: SaxoTraderGO · SaxoTraderPRO
Est. 1989 · CMC partner programme
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a long-established, FCA- and BaFin-regulated CFD provider running its own Next Generation platform alongside MT4. Verify the licensed entity that serves your country before depositing.
Platforms: Next Generation · MT4
What does French law say about CFD advertising?
Trading itself is legal: French residents can and do trade forex and CFDs with AMF-authorised or EU-passported firms under the standard ESMA protections. What France restricts is the advertising. Since the Loi Sapin II (2016), the electronic promotion of certain high-risk speculative financial instruments — including most CFDs and rolling-spot forex — to retail clients is banned in France.
That is why Spreadwise treats France as information-only. We do not run affiliate links, sponsored placements or 'sign up here' calls-to-action aimed at French retail clients. Instead, this page explains the rules so a French resident can independently verify any firm and understand the costs and protections involved.
How can a French resident check a broker independently?
Go directly to the AMF's official website and use its register, and cross-check against the AMF and ACPR blacklists of unauthorised sites, which are updated regularly. Confirm the exact legal entity is authorised, that the licence covers the relevant activity, and that the contact details match the firm you are dealing with — a near-match on the name is not a match.
Because we cannot and do not market specific brokers into France, the responsible path is education: understand that retail leverage is capped at 30:1, that negative-balance protection applies, that no legitimate EU broker may offer you a trading bonus, and that the real cost of trading is the spread plus commission plus overnight financing. Anything promising guaranteed or outsized returns is a warning sign, not an opportunity.
Frequently asked questions
Is forex trading legal in France?
Yes — trading is legal through AMF-authorised and EU-passported firms under ESMA rules. What is restricted is advertising: Loi Sapin II bans electronic promotion of high-risk CFDs to retail clients, which is why this page is information-only.
Why doesn't Spreadwise recommend a broker for France?
Because French law (Loi Sapin II) prohibits electronic advertising of CFDs to retail clients, we keep France information-only — no partner links and no 'open an account' recommendations. We publish regulatory and cost literacy so French residents can verify firms themselves on the AMF register.