Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Kraken is registered with AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) in France. That means we have a direct regulatory path to resolve your freeze. Swiss legal team with AMF expertise. 90%+ success rate.
Kraken holds AMF PSAN registration
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.
Good news: Since Kraken is registered with AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor), we have a direct regulatory complaint path. If Kraken doesn't resolve your case within a reasonable time, we escalate to AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) — and the platform knows this.
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), Kraken must conduct customer due diligence and can freeze accounts during AML investigations. However, they must also:
If Kraken 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 Kraken 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 client's bank blocked a fiat withdrawal from Kraken to their France bank account. The bank cited French Monetary and Financial Code (Code monétaire et financier) + PACTE Law (2019) and requested source-of-funds documentation. We coordinated between Kraken, the bank, and AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) to resolve the compliance hold. We resolved the case by filing a complaint with AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) + ACPR (prudential supervisor) and simultaneously submitting documentation to Kraken.
Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Swiss professional secrecy applies.
We analyze your Kraken 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 Kraken's standard templates. This includes source-of-funds proof, transaction tracing, and any required AMF-specific forms.
We submit through Kraken's compliance channels — not standard support. Our submission is in French and references AMF guidelines. We also file a parallel complaint with AMF if needed.
We verify everything works and advise on preventing recurrence on Kraken. If Kraken doesn't respond within no statutory maximum; AMF expects resolution within 60 days, we escalate to AMF and pursue cross-jurisdictional action in USA (Wyoming incorporation; HQ San Francisco) 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.