Cameroon vs France
Crypto regulation comparison
Cameroon
France
Restricted
Legal
Cameroon has no specific national cryptocurrency legislation. As a CEMAC member, COBAC issued a 2022 directive banning financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions. BEAC opposes crypto regulation and does not recognize cryptocurrencies. Individual ownership is not explicitly banned but access via formal banking is restricted.
France has one of Europe's most developed crypto regulatory frameworks. The PACTE law (2019) established the PSAN (prestataire de services sur actifs numériques) registration regime, now transitioning to MiCA licensing. Crypto gains are subject to the 30% flat tax (prélèvement forfaitaire unique).
Tax Type
None
Tax Type
Capital gains
Tax Rate
N/A
Tax Rate
30%
Exchanges
No
Exchanges
Yes
Mining
Yes
Mining
Yes
Regulator
BEAC (Bank of Central African States), COBAC
Regulator
AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers), ACPR
Stablecoin Rules
Not applicable — COBAC bans financial institutions from crypto transactions
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under MiCA; stablecoin issuers need e-money or credit institution license
Key Points
- No specific national cryptocurrency legislation
- COBAC 2022 directive bans banks and payment providers from facilitating crypto transactions
- BEAC firmly opposes cryptocurrency regulation in the CEMAC region
- Part of the CEMAC monetary zone with the CFA franc
- Nearly 900,000 crypto users in Cameroon despite restrictive banking environment
Key Points
- 30% flat tax on crypto capital gains (12.8% income tax + 17.2% social charges) for non-professionals
- PSAN registration required by AMF for all crypto service providers (mandatory since 2023)
- Transitioning from PSAN regime to MiCA licensing framework in 2024-2025
- Professional crypto traders may opt for progressive income tax rates
- France is home to major crypto companies including Ledger and Société Générale's FORGE