"I received nothing from my prop firm this year, do I still have to file?" That's THE question we get asked most often. The short answer: not having earned money doesn't always mean "nothing to declare." The simplest image: it's like a car. Even if you don't drive it this year, you still have to insure it and declare it. The fact that you don't use it doesn't exempt you from your obligations.
To see things clearly, you need to separate two things that are constantly mixed up:
- Your income / your gains — that, you only declare if you actually received it.
- Your foreign accounts — that, you must declare even empty, even without the slightest gain, as soon as you have opened or used them.
Let's go through both scenarios: first the prop firm, then the traditional broker / securities account. At the end, you'll find a concrete worked example with figures and the list of traps that cost the most.
Part 1 — Prop firm: the different situations
Basic reminder: a prop firm payout is not a stock market capital gain. A payout is the payment the company sends you on the gains you generated for it. So it's not a market gain like a security bought and resold at a higher price: it's the remuneration for a service (you're paid on a profit split, that is, a sharing of profits). Tax-wise, this falls in principle under the category of non-commercial profits (BNC): in other words, the income of an independent service activity, like a consultant or a graphic designer.
This remuneration falls under the micro-BNC regime as long as your annual revenue does not exceed €77,700, with a 34% allowance (Article 102 ter of the CGI). An allowance is a flat-rate reduction: on €100 received, the administration considers that €34 corresponds to your expenses, and only €66 is taxed. Above the threshold, you switch to the actual regime. Note: the 30% flat tax on securities accounts does not apply to payouts. Key point: under micro-BNC, you declare what you actually receive during the year — not what you "almost" earned.
"But I don't have a company!" — and you don't necessarily need one. Most prop firm traders are simple individuals without a company, and that's normal. Payouts fall into a "catch-all" category of the CGI: non-commercial profits, defined as "all occupations, lucrative operations and sources of profits" not falling under any other category (Article 92 of the CGI). In practice:
- Occasional payouts (you're starting out, a few payments during the year): you declare them as non-professional BNC, directly on your income tax return (form 2042 C), without creating a company or a SIRET. Taxed at the income tax scale + 17.2% social contributions, with the micro-BNC allowance of 34% below the threshold.
- Regular activity (it's regular, it's becoming a real source of income): you must then register as a micro-enterprise (INPI single window), obtain a SIRET, and pay social contributions (URSSAF) in addition to tax.
The "occasional / regular" boundary depends on a set of indicators (frequency, regularity, share of your income) — if in doubt, an accountant decides. But the essential point comes down to one sentence: not having a company is never a reason not to declare — the income is declared in all cases.
Let's say it plainly, because this is where most beginners get trapped: many believe that "small income = no declaration." That's false, and it's exactly the reasoning that turns a modest bill into a hefty one. Keeping rigorous track of your receipts isn't useless paperwork: it's the same discipline that makes the difference in trading. To help you structure your practice and track your payments properly, our member area offers a trading journal (screenshots, result, mini psychological test) and a "My Trading" hub with your statistics: a good habit so you don't lose sight of anything at declaration time.
Situation 1 — "I paid for an evaluation, but I failed it / I was never funded."
You received nothing → you have no prop firm income to declare. You don't declare a gain you didn't make. Evaluation fees are not income, and they are not "deductible" in your case (they would only be under a true actual BNC regime, with a declared activity). The challenge account is a demo account (fictional money), it's not a bank account to declare. In short: nothing to do.
Situation 2 — "I'm funded but I haven't requested a payout yet."
As long as nothing has been paid to you, there is no received revenue → nothing to declare as income for now. Still, be careful about the account through which the payouts will arrive (see situation 4).
Situation 3 — "I received payouts."
There, you declare: it's BNC. Under micro-BNC, you enter the gross amount received on your return (the 34% allowance is applied automatically). If the activity is regular, you fall under micro-entrepreneur status and you pay social contributions (URSSAF) in addition to tax — yet another reason why this isn't the flat tax.
Situation 4 — "My payouts go through a platform / a foreign account."
This is THE trap. Foreign broker, Rise, Deel, a wallet with a provider outside France… As soon as you open or use a foreign account, you must declare it every year (form 3916, Article 1649 A of the CGI) — the law covers accounts "opened, held, used or closed," so even if you've withdrawn everything and the balance is zero. And it's serious: sums that passed through an undeclared account are, unless proven otherwise, presumed to be taxable income (still Article 1649 A). Forgetting costs €1,500 per account (Article 1736, IV of the CGI). This is the only case where "I barely earned anything" doesn't prevent a heavy fine. To compare the practices of different intermediaries (withdrawal times, country of establishment, etc.), our comparative directory of brokers and prop firms is a useful starting point.
Situation 5 — "I'm paid in crypto (USDT, USDC…)."
You then combine three obligations: (1) the remuneration remains BNC; (2) when you convert the crypto into euros, you realize a taxable crypto capital gain (Article 150 VH bis of the CGI); (3) the foreign exchange (Binance, Kraken…) is a foreign digital asset account to declare (form 3916-bis) — forgetting means €750 per wallet, raised to €1,500 above €50,000 (Article 1736, X of the CGI). To properly track your crypto positions (and more broadly your stocks and ETFs), our investment journal includes prices and a weekly report: handy for reconstructing the history at declaration time.
The important point about "hidden activity." If you trade regularly and you never declare anything, the tax authority can reclassify it as hidden activity: it then goes back 10 years (instead of 3) and applies an 80% increase. Not declaring because "the amounts are small" is the best way to turn a small bill into a big one.
Part 2 — Traditional broker / securities account
Here, the logic changes: these are no longer BNC but capital gains on securities, that is, gains realized by buying and then reselling securities (stocks, ETFs…). They are taxed at the 30% PFU (12.8% tax + 17.2% social contributions, Article 200 A of the CGI), or at the progressive scale if you opt for it. In other words: on €100 of gain, you leave €30 to the State.
Situation 1 — "My securities account is with a French broker."
The French broker generally provides you with a single tax form (IFU) — an annual summary of your gains and losses — and pre-fills part of your return. However, you remain responsible for checking and completing it. Nothing special to declare on the "foreign account" side.
Situation 2 — "My account is with a foreign broker (Interactive Brokers, DEGIRO, Trading 212, eToro…)."
Two obligations: the 30% PFU on your gains, and the declaration of the foreign account (3916) — even if you realized no gain, even if the account is empty. This is the most common trap among traders: they declare (or not) their gains, but forget the existence of the account. Fine: €1,500 per account (Article 1736 IV).
Situation 3 — "I only had losses this year."
You still have an interest in declaring, and sometimes you must: your loss is declared (form 2074) to be carried forward over 10 years and offset against your future gains of the same nature (Article 150-0 D, 11 of the CGI). A loss is a loss: declaring it means setting aside a "virtual tax credit" that you'll use in the years you win. It's a "stock" of tax savings that you lose if you don't declare it. And if the account is abroad, you must always declare it (3916), losses or not.
Situation 4 — "I have a PEA."
The PEA is a French account: no 3916. After 5 years of holding, capital gains and dividends are exempt from income tax (the 17.2% social contributions are still due). As long as you don't make a withdrawal, there's nothing to declare each year.
And dividends? On a securities account, they follow the 30% PFU; if you opt for the scale, they benefit from a 40% allowance before tax. On a PEA (after 5 years), they are exempt from income tax.
💡 Concrete example
Let's take a simple profile, to make all this clear. You're a prop firm trader, you receive €2,000 in payouts over the year (order of magnitude, to be verified depending on your situation), and you're starting out: occasional activity, no company.
- What you declare: €2,000 in non-professional BNC, on form 2042 C.
- The 34% micro-BNC allowance applies: the administration considers €680 as expenses. Taxable base: €1,320.
- Social contributions: 17.2% on this base, i.e. about €227.
- Income tax: depending on your bracket (scale). If you're not taxable, you pay nothing on this side — but you did declare.
In other words, on €2,000 received, you leave the State roughly €200 to €400 depending on your bracket (indicative figures, to be verified). And if you forget to declare a foreign account through which these payouts passed: + €1,500 fine — the fine costs more than the tax. That's the whole message of this article.
The golden rule to remember
"Nothing received" is not synonymous with "nothing to declare." Two habits keep you safe:
- Every foreign account that you have opened or used (broker, payout platform, crypto exchange) must be declared every year via form 3916 / 3916-bis — even empty, even without gain.
- A year of losses must also be declared: that's what allows you to carry forward your losses and pay less tax in winning years.
And if you realize you've forgotten something: regularize voluntarily, before the tax authority writes to you. You limit the late-payment interest (reduced by 50%) and you avoid heavy increases. The details of the fines are in our dedicated article: how much do the fines amount to in case of non-declaration.
To go further
To go further on the tax and regulatory framework of trading (and on the method that serves you daily), our complete, structured training program covers all the topics — from market reading to administrative organization — with bootcamps, mentoring and events. If you want a concrete entry point, our orientation test (in the member area) helps you situate your level and choose the right starting module.
The mindset coaching (discipline, emotional management) and the "My fitness" section (the trader's lifestyle habits) usefully complement the system, because these reporting obligations are also a matter of personal rigor. And so you don't miss any deadlines or economic news, our Telegram assistant broadcasts each morning the day's plan, a market brief and the news roundup — with targeted reminders for important deadlines.
For vocabulary, our glossary and our country fact sheets are there to clear up any remaining doubts, and our JARVIS Readings (economic analyses) usefully complement the news roundup.
Indicative information (France, up to date as of September 18, 2026) — this is not tax advice. The "occasional / regular" qualification, the BNC regime and crypto taxation depend on your situation; some articles of the CGI are being recodified (numbers likely to change in 2026-2027). For your decisions, consult an accountant.
Educational content. Trading and prop firms involve a risk of capital loss. This does not constitute investment advice.