Can I Buy Bitcoin with Nickel?
Yes, you can buy on a crypto exchange after transferring euros from Nickel. A Nickel account comes with a French IBAN, the account number format used across Europe, and supports SEPA, the standard European system for euro bank transfers. The exchange converts your euros into Bitcoin or another coin.
Since 2 July 2026, only firms authorized under MiCA may offer crypto services to French residents. France's financial markets regulator canceled all remaining registrations under the older national regime that day. Our guide to the best crypto exchanges in France compares the authorized platforms.
How to Buy Crypto with Nickel
Fund Bybit EU with a free SEPA transfer from Nickel, then buy on its order book, the live list of buy and sell offers where you set your price. The Austrian FMA granted Bybit its MiCA license in May 2025.
Follow these five steps to buy crypto with Nickel:
- Open and verify a Bybit EU account: Register with Bybit EU using the name on your Nickel account. Complete KYC (Know Your Customer), the identity checks that require a passport or national identity card and proof of address. Exchanges return deposits sent from an account in a different name.
- Create your euro deposit details: Select EUR, then SEPA on the fiat deposit page. Before your first deposit, Bybit EU creates a virtual account, then displays the receiving account number, account name, and reference ID. Copy each detail exactly.
- Add Bybit EU as a beneficiary in Nickel: Open Transactions in the Nickel app or web customer area, choose Transfers, then New transfer. Enter the account number and account name displayed by Bybit EU. If the name does not match the account number, Nickel displays an alert. Cancel the payment if this happens and recheck the details.
- Send a small test, then the full amount: Begin with €20, including the reference ID, before sending the rest. Any amount above your remaining instant allowance requires a standard transfer. Nickel says standard transfers reach the beneficiary within 48 hours.
- Place a limit order: Once the euros appear in your Bybit EU balance, open the BTC/EUR market. A limit order tells the exchange to buy at your chosen price or lower. The fee is 0.25% of the order value.
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Fees, Tax and Transfer Limits for Nickel Customers
Euro transfers from Nickel to an exchange are free. The costs come from exchange trading and withdrawal fees, plus French tax when you sell.
Nickel Limits and Costs
- Standard transfers: Free, with a limit of €30,000 per calendar month. The counter resets on the first day of each month.
- Instant transfers: Free, with a limit of €1,000 per calendar month. This ceiling is the main constraint on same-day funding.
- Card payments: The Nickel Mastercard's starting monthly payment limit is €1,500 for Classic and My Nickel, €2,000 for Chrome and €2,500 for Metal. You can raise it to €5,000 in the app.
- Destination: Nickel sends euro transfers only within the SEPA zone. You cannot fund an exchange from Nickel if it requests payment to an account outside that zone.
- Incoming transfers: There is no limit on transfers received, so sale proceeds can return to Nickel in one payment.
Bybit EU Fees
- SEPA deposit: Free.
- Trading: Since 5 October 2026, Bybit EU has charged a rate of 0.25% on every spot trade for accounts with less than €100,000 in 30-day volume. Spot trading means buying the coin for immediate delivery. These fees drop to 0.0450% for Supreme VIP members.
- Card purchases: About 3% by bank card, or about 2% through Apple Pay or Google Pay, according to the Bybit EU fee guide.
- Euro withdrawals: The same guide lists a SEPA withdrawal fee of 0.08% plus €5.50. Check the withdrawal screen first, as the fixed charge is expensive for small amounts.
- Crypto withdrawals: Each coin has a fixed network fee, shown before you confirm.
French Crypto Tax
- Flat tax: Private investors pay 31.4% in 2026 on gains under the flat-rate levy called the PFU. This consists of 12.8% income tax and 18.6% social contributions.
- Taxable events: Selling crypto for euros or using it to pay for goods triggers tax. Tax on an exchange of one crypto for another is deferred until a later sale for legal currency.
- Exemption: No tax is due if total sales for the year are €305 or less. The threshold is based on sale proceeds, not profit.
- Losses: Crypto losses can offset crypto gains from the same year only. They cannot be carried forward.
- Foreign accounts: Declare accounts held on platforms outside France each year. This includes Bybit EU in Austria and Kraken in Ireland.
- Automatic reporting: Exchanges have collected customer and transaction data since 1 January 2026 under the EU DAC8 directive. The first reports reach tax authorities in 2027.
On a €500 Bitcoin purchase, Bybit EU charges €1.25 in trading fees. The equivalent trade on Kraken Pro costs €2.00 for a maker order that waits in the order book, or €4.00 for a taker order that executes immediately.
Best Exchanges for Nickel Customers
The four exchanges below accept SEPA transfers from a Nickel IBAN and hold MiCA authorization valid in France. Our comparison considers the cost of small trades and returning euros to Nickel, along with the country where each account is held.
Bybit EU charges the lowest trading fee for small orders. Kraken has charged more per trade since its July fee change, though its €1 euro withdrawals help customers who sell often. Our Bybit vs Kraken comparison covers both platforms. Our guide to MiCA-licensed exchanges provides the complete ranking.
Nickel Cryptocurrency Policy
Nickel has no published cryptocurrency policy. We found neither a statement banning payments to exchanges nor a guarantee that they will be processed. Three general controls determine whether a transfer goes through.
- Transfer limits: The €1,000 instant and €30,000 standard limits cover transfers to all beneficiaries combined. If a deposit exceeds your remaining allowance, you must wait until the counter resets on the first day of the month.
- Name check: The EU Instant Payments Regulation introduced a check of the beneficiary name against the account number before a euro transfer is sent. Nickel presents the result as an alert and lets you cancel or continue. Recovering a misdirected payment becomes difficult if you proceed after a mismatch.
- Fraud and money laundering controls: Nickel must monitor transactions under the supervision of the ACPR, France's banking supervisor. Stronger anti-fraud systems are among the investment priorities in its September 2026 plan. A large first payment to a new beneficiary, or a large incoming sum from an exchange, can prompt questions about the source of the money.
Keep your exchange statements so you can answer those questions quickly. Before depositing, check that the platform appears in the ESMA register, the EU securities regulator's list of every firm authorized under MiCA. Platforms without authorization are not permitted to serve French residents.
About Nickel
Launched in 2014 as Compte-Nickel, Nickel offered a payment account that anyone could open at a tobacconist in a few minutes, with no income conditions. Its operating company, Financière des Paiements Électroniques, is an ACPR-authorized payment institution. BNP Paribas acquired 95% of the company in 2017.
The account includes a French IBAN, a Mastercard and a mobile app, with no overdraft facility. Customers can choose from four cards: Classic, My Nickel, Chrome and Metal. Partner shops accept cash and check deposits. Nickel also distributes home insurance, small loans and a savings product through partner companies.
Nickel passed 5 million accounts opened in Europe in early 2026. Its network numbered more than 13,000 points of sale at the end of 2025. The company operates in France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Germany. In September 2026, it launched Nickel Pro for self-employed customers across France and set a target of 20,000 points of sale within four years.
Final Thoughts
Buying Bitcoin with Nickel means transferring euros to an exchange. We recommend MiCA-licensed Bybit EU for its free SEPA deposits and 0.25% trading fee. Our Bybit review examines the platform. For frequent euro withdrawals, compare Kraken's lower withdrawal fee.
Start by adding the exchange as a beneficiary and sending a €20 test. Use standard transfers for amounts above the €1,000 instant limit and record every sale. French tax on gains is 31.4%, and accounts held abroad must be declared. Exchanges now collect customer and transaction data under DAC8.
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