Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Changelly is EU-based and passported into France under EU AML law. That means AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) has authority — and so do we. Swiss legal team with EU compliance expertise. 90%+ success rate.
Changelly is Czech-based → can serve French customers under EU AMLD5
AMF maintains PSAN register (Prestataires de Services sur Actifs Numériques) — mandatory for crypto firms serving French customers; PACTE Law created the framework
This matters because it determines which regulatory body has authority over your case — and whether you have a direct complaint path or need cross-jurisdictional legal action.
What this means for you: Changelly is EU-based and passported into France. That means AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) has authority — and so does the platform's home EU regulator. We can file complaints with both, increasing pressure on Changelly to resolve your case.
under PACTE Law, you can complain to AMF Médiateur (Ombudsman); also SAPS for consumer protection
Under French Monetary and Financial Code (Code monétaire et financier) + PACTE Law (2019), Changelly must conduct customer due diligence and can freeze accounts during AML investigations. However, they must also:
If Changelly doesn't meet these obligations, we escalate to AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) and file a formal legal submission. For a broader comparison of how France's rules stack up against other jurisdictions, see our AML laws by country reference.
flat 30% PFU (Prélèvement Forfaitaire Unique) on crypto gains; or progressive income tax (11-45%) — option
If your Changelly account is frozen, you may still need to declare your crypto holdings on your France tax return — even if you can't access them. Under France law, the tax obligation may apply regardless of whether the funds are accessible. We recommend consulting a French tax advisor.
If the freeze causes you to miss a tax deadline, we can provide documentation for the AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) and tax authority explaining the situation.
A French trader's swap on Changelly was frozen because the sending address had interacted with a flagged entity. Changelly's compliance tool (Chainalysis) flagged the transaction. We traced the address history and prepared a chain-analysis report. The account was restored after we provided a legal submission citing AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor)'s guidelines and the client's transaction history.
Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Swiss professional secrecy applies.
We analyze your Changelly account, transaction history, and France regulatory context to identify the exact trigger. Was it a Chainalysis risk flag? A sanctions screening match? A source-of-funds demand? Each requires a different strategy.
We prepare documentation compliant with French Monetary and Financial Code — not just Changelly's standard templates. This includes source-of-funds proof, transaction tracing, and any required AMF-specific forms.
We submit through Changelly's compliance channels — not standard support. Our submission is in French and references AMF guidelines. We coordinate with AMF even though Changelly is not registered.
We verify everything works and advise on preventing recurrence on Changelly. If Changelly doesn't respond within no statutory maximum; AMF expects resolution within 60 days, we escalate to AMF and pursue cross-jurisdictional action in Czech Republic (EU) if needed.
Tell us what happened. A senior crypto compliance lawyer — not a chatbot, not a junior — will read your case and respond within 6 hours. Swiss professional secrecy applies from your first message.