Private Banking in France: How It Works and What Services It Offers
Updated on 20 July 2026
A private bank in France is a bespoke wealth management service reserved for clients with substantial financial assets: generally €300,000 to €500,000 at mainstream banking groups, several million euros at the most prestigious houses such as Rothschild or UBS. It combines wealth advisory, discretionary management and access to credit.
- Three management modes exist: self-directed (the client decides), advisory, and discretionary, where the bank manages the entire portfolio.
- Discretionary management fees typically range from 0.8% to 1.2% of assets, tapering off as the amount invested grows.
- A Lombard loan lets you borrow by pledging your financial assets as collateral, at rates generally between 2.75% and 4% in 2026.
- Beyond €100 million in assets, some clients gain access to a dedicated family office that centralises all of their wealth-related matters.
- Almost all the investments on offer (equities, bonds, private equity, cryptocurrencies) remain accessible via a securities account, a life insurance policy or a PEA.
How do private banks allocate their clients’ wealth?
This video explains how a private banker builds a client’s asset allocation and negotiates access terms based on their profile.
Investments on offer in private banking
A private bank most often houses its clients’ wealth inside a life insurance policy governed by French or Luxembourg law, within which it allocates different types of assets. Each private banker typically follows around thirty clients, whose wealth intricacies they know in detail.
Most of the allocation is spread across these assets:
- Equities: stocks, ETFs and active funds
- Bonds: government or corporate bonds held directly, ETFs or active funds
- Private equity: fund investments (illiquid, long-term horizon)
- Precious metals: physical or synthetic gold (via funds)
- Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin or Ethereum (highly volatile assets, under the MiCA framework)
- Collectibles: watches or luxury cars.
- Cash, to seize opportunities.
The good news is that almost all these investments are accessible to everyday investors (private equity aside) via a securities account, a life insurance policy or a PEA (a French tax-advantaged equity savings account). What you won’t have, however, is a dedicated management team that watches the markets around the clock, rebalances, hedges against potential risks and actively seizes opportunities. The real difference between traditional wealth management and private banking lies in the level of service & support.
Non-contractual document for promotional purposes. Finary One is Finary’s private wealth management offer, reserved for investors with at least €500,000 in investable assets. Investing carries risks, including partial or total capital loss. Finary SAS - 58 rue de Monceau 75380 Paris 8 - Investment firm authorised by the ACPR under no. 19283, ORIAS no. 21001279, member of AMAFI.
Why is private banking a wealth "one-stop shop"?
The real strength of wealth management houses is their ability to handle every aspect of your wealth. Want to set up a horse stud? Your banker can handle everything, from the land to choosing the horses. Have a private jet you want to get rid of? Your banker will find you a buyer. Want to plan your estate? Your banker will guide you towards a structure suited to your situation. Wealth managers often describe themselves as one-stop shops.
They also provide access to harder-to-reach investments: direct real estate (buying buildings), mezzanine debt, late-stage or pre-IPO investments in startups, private equity (direct or via funds), art, classic cars, and more.
The other major advantage is credit. Private banks make extensive use of a mechanism called a “Lombard loan”. This type of credit lets you borrow by using financial holdings, such as a life insurance policy, a securities account or a PEA, as collateral. In practice, you invest 100% of your assets in a life insurance policy whose return depends on financial markets (not guaranteed), while simultaneously borrowing through a Lombard loan. According to Hestia, a wealth-financing specialist, this rate (indexed to Euribor plus each bank’s own margin) generally sits between 2.75% and 4% in 2026. The volatility of the underlying assets determines how much the client can borrow (known as the coverage ratio). Clients therefore stay invested and use leverage, at a cost that still needs to be weighed against the expected return of the pledged portfolio. This mechanism does carry specific risks, however: if the underlying assets fall below the coverage ratio, the bank can issue a margin call or liquidate the assets.
That said, even among wealth managers, not all clients are treated the same. Some services are reserved for very wealthy (high-net-worth) clients bringing in more than €10 million. Beyond €100 million in assets, some wealth management groups offer a dedicated family office, which typically includes custody of all the client’s assets spread across numerous investment vehicles, currencies and countries.
An elite tier opening up thanks to technology
Accessing private banking and wealth management is like travelling first class: everything is simpler, more pleasant and more personal. The level of personalisation remains far higher than with a traditional wealth management advisor. But technology is changing the game: new services make bespoke management accessible to far more modest portfolios, without multi-million-euro entry tickets.
Frequently asked questions
From what level of wealth can you access a private bank?
A private bank is accessible from €300,000 to €500,000 in financial assets at the private banking arms of major retail banking groups (BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole). The most prestigious houses, such as Rothschild, UBS or Edmond de Rothschild, generally require several million euros.
What is the difference between private banking and traditional wealth management?
Private banking offers a dedicated banker, bespoke management (self-directed, advisory or discretionary) and easier access to credit. Traditional wealth management remains accessible from a few tens of thousands of euros, with a less extensive level of personalisation and support.
What is a Lombard loan?
A Lombard loan lets you borrow by pledging financial assets (life insurance, securities account, PEA) rather than selling them. Its rate depends on Euribor and the bank’s margin, generally between 2.75% and 4% in 2026 depending on the amount and the volatility of the pledged portfolio.
From what level of wealth can you access a family office?
A dedicated family office becomes worthwhile beyond €100 million in assets, the threshold at which the fixed costs of a bespoke structure (dedicated team, legal and tax monitoring) are economically justified by the size of the wealth being managed.
Sources
Hestia, Lombard loan: rates, how it works and alternatives, 2026
Société Générale, private banking fee schedule, rates as of 1 April 2026
AMF, white list of Crypto-Asset Service Providers, Finary SAS
Boursorama, from what income level can you access private banking
Finary, Family office: from what level of wealth is it worthwhile
Finary, how much does a wealth manager (CGP, private bank) really cost
Regulatory disclaimers: Marketing communication. Investing carries a risk of partial or total capital loss. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. This article is provided for information and educational purposes only; it does not constitute personalised investment advice, a buy or sell recommendation, or tax advice. Before investing, read the Key Information Document (KID) and, where relevant, consult an authorised adviser. Finary SAS, an investment firm authorised by the ACPR (no. 19283), member of AMAFI. Insurance broker registered with ORIAS (no. 21001279), member of the CNCGP (association approved by the AMF). Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorised by the AMF under the MiCA regime, references no. A2026-026 and no. N2026-008.
