Tax · France · Foreign accounts (comptes étrangers)

Declaring Foreign Accounts — Forms 3916 and 3916-bis

Q: Which accounts must I declare?

Every bank account (compte bancaire), securities account / brokerage account (compte-titres / compte courtier), and digital asset account (crypto) opened, held, used, or closed abroad. Bank accounts and brokerage accounts are declared via form 3916; crypto accounts (e.g. Binance, Kraken, KuCoin) via form 3916-bis. The obligation applies to individuals, but also to associations and companies without commercial status.

Q: Must I declare even if the account was used only once or occasionally?

Yes. The obligation applies even for one-time or occasional use during the year. An account that was opened and barely active, or used for a single transfer, must be declared. An account closed during the year must be declared for the year of closure.

Q: When and how to file the declaration?

The declaration is annual and is submitted together with the income tax return (2042) (déclaration de revenus), by attaching the form(s) 3916 / 3916-bis. One form per account is required. The declaration covers accounts held during the relevant year, including those closed during the year.

Q: What penalties (sanctions) apply for omissions?

The penalty (amende) is 1 500 € per unreported account and year (per non-prescribed year). It increases to 10 000 € per account and year when the account is located in a state or territory that has not concluded an administrative assistance treaty (convention d'assistance administrative) with France. Amounts accumulate per account and per year — a repeated omission across multiple accounts and years can therefore reach substantial sums.

Every French tax resident (résident fiscal français) must declare each bank account, brokerage account (courtier), and crypto account held abroad — even if used only once. Otherwise penalties escalate quickly: 1 500 € per account and per year, up to 10 000 €.

📅 Last updated: 08/2026 · Forms 3916 / 3916-bis (income tax return 2042)

1Who is affected and which accounts to declare

📋 Annual reporting obligation — accounts held abroad:

Every French tax resident (résident fiscal français) — individual, but also an association or company without commercial status — must declare every account opened, held, used or closed abroad. This covers:

• bank accounts (current account, savings account, deposit);
• securities accounts / brokerage accounts (Interactive Brokers and other foreign brokers);
• digital asset accounts (comptes d'actifs numériques) opened with foreign crypto platforms (e.g. Binance, Kraken, KuCoin).

The obligation applies even for one-time or occasional use of the account during the year.

⚠ Common misconception: "my broker is European / my account was barely used, so I have nothing to declare". Incorrect. As soon as the account is held outside France, it must be declared — regardless of the country and even for a single transaction in the year.

2Which form for which account

Type of foreign account	Examples	Form
Bank account	Current account, savings account, deposit abroad	3916
Securities account / brokerage account	Interactive Brokers and other foreign brokers	3916
Digital asset account (crypto)	Binance, Kraken, KuCoin (foreign platforms)	3916-bis

💡 One form per account. The declaration is annual and is attached to the income tax return (form 2042). Accounts closed during the year are declared for the year of closure.

3Penalties (sanctions) for non-declaration

⚠ Penalty per account and per year: failure to declare is subject to a penalty (amende) of 1 500 € per unreported account and per year without limitation. The amount increases to 10 000 € per account and per year when the account is located in a state or territory that has not concluded an administrative assistance treaty (convention d'assistance administrative) (anti-fraud) with France. Penalties accumulate: a repeated omission across multiple accounts and multiple years can reach significant amounts.

Account situation	Penalty per account and per year
Account in a country with an administrative assistance treaty with France	1 500 €
Account in a country without an administrative assistance treaty (convention d'assistance administrative)	10 000 €
Account properly declared (3916 / 3916-bis attached to the 2042)	No penalty

💡 Cumulative effect — example: 3 unreported accounts (in countries with a treaty) over 3 non-prescribed years = 3 × 3 × 1 500 € = 13 500 € in penalties, before any tax assessment on the corresponding income. Voluntary disclosure is therefore always preferable.

4In practice with your broker and crypto platforms

Most active traders are affected without knowing it: opening an account with a foreign broker such as Interactive Brokers, or an account on a foreign crypto platform such as Binance or Kraken, triggers the obligation. Make sure to list all your accounts at the start of the year — including those opened for a simple test or a single transfer.

⚠ Declaring the account ≠ declaring income: the 3916 / 3916-bis declaration does not exempt you from declaring the income generated on those accounts (capital gains, dividends, crypto gains). These are two separate obligations, both of which must be fulfilled.

Frequently asked questions

Which accounts must I declare?

Every bank account (compte bancaire), securities account / brokerage account (compte-titres / compte courtier), and digital asset account (crypto) opened, held, used, or closed abroad. Bank accounts and brokerage accounts are declared via form 3916; crypto accounts (e.g. Binance, Kraken, KuCoin) via form 3916-bis. The obligation applies to individuals, but also to associations and companies without commercial status.

Must I declare even if the account was used only once or occasionally?

Yes. The obligation applies even for one-time or occasional use during the year. An account that was opened and barely active, or used for a single transfer, must be declared. An account closed during the year must be declared for the year of closure.

When and how to file the declaration?

The declaration is annual and is submitted together with the income tax return (2042) (déclaration de revenus), by attaching the form(s) 3916 / 3916-bis. One form per account is required. The declaration covers accounts held during the relevant year, including those closed during the year.

What penalties (sanctions) apply for omissions?

The penalty (amende) is 1 500 € per unreported account and year (per non-prescribed year). It increases to 10 000 € per account and year when the account is located in a state or territory that has not concluded an administrative assistance treaty (convention d'assistance administrative) with France. Amounts accumulate per account and per year — a repeated omission across multiple accounts and years can therefore reach substantial sums.

Is declaring the account sufficient?

No. Declaring the account (3916 / 3916-bis) and declaring the income from that account are two separate obligations. Capital gains (plus-values), dividends, and other income generated on a foreign account must also be declared according to their nature — capital gains on disposals, investment income (revenus de capitaux mobiliers), crypto assets.

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Matthias Sax — Active trader & fintech founder
Uses brokerage accounts and crypto platforms abroad himself, and is personally familiar with the foreign account declaration requirement (3916 / 3916-bis).

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Education, Not Tax Advice

This content is general education — not tax or legal advice. For binding guidance, consult a qualified tax advisor. As of: 08/2026