France is the country where the rules on creator advertising for financial products became criminal law rather than guidance. The influence law of 2023 was written after several years of creators promoting trading platforms, crypto schemes and financial products to young audiences, and it changed what a brand may lawfully commission.
What the law says, in plain terms
Promotion by creators of certain financial products and services is prohibited unless the provider holds the required authorisation or registration in France. Crypto asset services are a clear example: a provider that is not properly registered cannot be promoted, and both the creator and the brand can be sanctioned.
Beyond the outright bans, the general rules still apply: paid content must be clearly identified as advertising, information must not be misleading, and mandatory warnings must appear.
For a marketing team the practical filter is simple. Before briefing anything, answer two questions in writing: is our product in a category creators may legally promote, and are we authorised or registered as required. If the answer to either is unclear, the campaign is not ready.
What a brand may still ask for
Plenty, and it converts better than the promotional content the law removed.
Explanation
One question, one answer, sixty seconds. What is an insurance excess, how does a transfer abroad work, what happens when a card is blocked.
App walkthroughs
Opening an account, sending money, making a claim. Real screens, real speed.
Situations
Buying a first flat, insuring a scooter, sending money to family. The situation carries the product.
Mistake videos
What people get wrong and what it costs, with no promise attached.
None of these require a performance claim, which is exactly why they are safe and why they work.
The lines that matter
No promise of returns or gains. No personalised advice. No pressure or urgency. No creator presenting themselves as an adviser. Every mandatory mention stays in the video, in a legible form, and cutting it for pacing is not a creative choice.
Practical notes for the brand
Approve the script, not the finished video. Give the creator a compliance contact who can answer in a day. Keep a record of what was approved and when, because in this category being able to show your process matters.
Agree usage rights with a defined term, and plan for withdrawal: rates and conditions change, and a video showing an outdated figure becomes a compliance issue the moment it does.
Where to go next
Finance in France is a category where the brief protects everyone. Our complete UGC guide for brands covers briefing, approvals, usage rights and running creator content as a repeatable process.
