Algeria vs France
Crypto regulation comparison
Algeria
France
Banned
Legal
Algeria maintains one of the world's strictest cryptocurrency bans. Article 117 of the 2018 Finance Law prohibits the purchase, sale, use, and possession of virtual currencies. Law No. 25-10 (2025) further codified criminal penalties including imprisonment and fines for crypto-related activities.
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
No
Mining
Yes
Regulator
Bank of Algeria
Regulator
AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers), ACPR
Stablecoin Rules
All crypto activities banned including stablecoins
Stablecoin Rules
Regulated under MiCA; stablecoin issuers need e-money or credit institution license
Key Points
- 2018 Finance Law (Article 117) prohibits purchase, sale, use, and holding of virtual currency
- No licensed crypto exchanges operate in Algeria
- Bank of Algeria has issued multiple warnings against cryptocurrency
- Law No. 25-10 (2025) codifies prison sentences and fines for crypto offenses
- Despite the ban, peer-to-peer crypto usage persists informally
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