France's financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), has issued a final and urgent reminder to all Digital Asset Service Providers (DASPs) operating in the country regarding the impending end of the transitional period under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation. The deadline for compliance is July 1, 2026.
The AMF's update, released on February 5, 2026, emphasizes that from this date forward, only entities authorized as Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) under MiCA will be legally permitted to offer crypto-asset services in France. This authorization can be obtained either directly from the AMF or, for qualifying financial institutions, via a notification process under Article 60 of MiCA.
The regulator has established a critical interim deadline of March 30, 2026, for firms that do not plan to seek MiCA authorization. These companies must initiate an orderly wind-down of their operations, restricting activities to essential closure steps. This process is designed to protect consumers by facilitating asset transfers to authorized providers or enabling sales with proper notice.
For firms intending to continue, the AMF stresses the urgency of submitting complete and high-quality authorization applications immediately. The review process for a complete application can take up to four months. However, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and the AMF have warned that many initial applications are incomplete, leading to requests for additional information and significant delays that could jeopardize meeting the July deadline.
Successful authorization brings a key benefit: the European passport, which allows CASPs to expand their services across all EU member states without needing separate national approvals. The AMF maintains a public whitelist of authorized CASPs on its website for transparency.
Failure to comply after July 1, 2026, carries severe penalties under French law, including potential imprisonment of up to two years and fines reaching €30,000. Regulatory enforcement actions may also include publishing blacklists of unauthorized operators, issuing public alerts, and pursuing legal measures to block access to non-compliant websites.
This warning aligns with a broader EU push, as highlighted by ESMA in a December 2025 statement urging all market participants to prepare for the transition's conclusion. The AMF's guidance marks a pivotal shift towards a standardized, compliant crypto ecosystem in France and across Europe, with a strong focus on investor protection and market integrity.
