A study published by BPCE on 21 October found that French crypto-asset holders look more diversified than the speculator stereotype suggests, with 5.4 percent of French people holding crypto-assets. The bank reported that 47 percent of crypto holders also own stocks or bonds, against 17 percent of all French people, and that 52 percent of current holders cite diversification as their main motive.
Diverging survey figures
Other surveys put French crypto ownership higher. Adan found 11 percent of French people hold crypto-assets, while a European Central Bank survey put the French figure at 7.3 percent and the euro area figure at 10.6 percent. The ECB study found the highest holding rate in Portugal, at 18.3 percent, against 6.6 percent in Italy.
BPCE’s study also described how holdings are distributed. Bitcoin is held by 68 percent of crypto holders and Ethereum by 36 percent. A majority, 59 percent, entered the asset class less than two years ago. Nearly half of French holders, 48 percent, own less than 1,000 euros in crypto, while just 4 percent hold at least 50,000 euros. The average French holder carries about 9,000 euros, close to the euro area average of 9,200 euros. Some 17 percent of holders reported difficulty recovering their investment.
Growth forecast cut
BPCE separately revised down its 2026 French growth forecast to 0.4 percent from 1 percent, and raised its inflation estimate to 2.2 percent from 1.6 percent, citing the prolonged Middle East conflict and a higher risk premium on French debt. The bank now expects 51.2 billion euros in financial savings inflows for 2026, a figure it has trimmed by 19.7 billion euros from its start-of-year assumptions.
An accounting reclassification added about 10 billion euros to sight deposits in April. Life insurance is expected to draw 54 billion euros in net inflows over 2026, while the Livret A savings account recorded 4.2 billion euros in net outflows over the first eight months of the year. Bitcoin itself traded at $81,674 as of 04:24 GMT on 23 October, down 1.39 percent from the previous close and near a 31-day low.
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Source: BPCE | Data: CoinGecko
