At a time when financial distrust spreads with a click, a TikTok video posted at the end of May reignited fears of increased state control. It claims that from October 2025, any transfer over 800 euros between individuals would be blocked for 24 hours for tax verification. Within a few days, the rumor caused unrest among thousands of French people. What does the regulation really say? And why is this viral announcement completely unfounded?
In April, a TikTok video announcing the imminent end of cash in France made a big impact on social media. Along the same lines, another viral video began to spread widely on May 26, 2025, claiming that a new system planned for October 2025 will block transfers between individuals exceeding 800 euros for 24 hours.
The post, widely shared on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, claims in particular that :
The frenzy around this video was immediate. Some internet users mentioned an infringement on individual liberty, others denounced a “generalized tax surveillance”, even calling France a “dictatorship”.
In response, the Ministry of Economy formally denied the allegations. In a statement sent to AFP, it clarifies :
This allegation is misleading. To date, no law or decree provides for an automatic blocking threshold at 800 euros or a 24-hour suspension. Therefore, this rumor is based on a misinterpretation of reality, probably fueled by confusion with a distinct measure.
Contrary to the rumor circulating, a real banking reform will come into effect starting October 9, 2025, but it neither involves a capped amount of €800 nor an automatic 24-hour suspension, nor a systematic tax administration check.
This reform simply aims to verify the match between the information provided by the transfer sender and the IBAN of the recipient, to better secure transactions. It is a system designed to “inform the customer of the match between the information provided at the time of the transfer request and the IBAN”.
This measure fits within the framework of a European regulation passed in 2024, which mandates the generalisation of instant bank transfers in the SEPA area while strengthening the fight against fraud.
Banks will thus have the mission to prevent errors or scam attempts by reporting possible discrepancies between the beneficiary’s name and their IBAN, without automatically blocking the operation or imposing a legal 24-hour waiting period. No transaction suspension is planned at this stage, neither under French law nor European regulation.
In response to this tightening control of traditional bank transfers, some voices in the digital ecosystem highlight the increased interest in cryptocurrencies, particularly bitcoin. As a decentralized payment system without a banking intermediary, bitcoin allows direct transfers without the need for validation by a central institution or the obligation of correspondence between a name and a wallet address.
Ultimately, this evolution could encourage banking platforms to adapt their upstream verification systems, but this does not in any way signify the establishment of automated tax control on transfers between individuals, specifically external transfers.
