Deposit Share Capital for a French Company from Hong Kong
You can deposit the share capital of a French company from Hong Kong fully online, with no French bank account and no trip to France. A French notary (notaire) — a public officer authorised to receive cash contributions — holds your funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts and issues your certificate of deposit within 24 hours of the wire arriving and your file being complete. For founders in Hong Kong the flat fee is €500, clearing the one formality that stands between a cross-border plan and a registered French company.
Key takeaways
- No French bank account and no French tax residence needed to complete the deposit.
- €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription, 100% online.
- Certificate of deposit within 24h once your wire is received and your file is complete.
- Wire in euros from your Hong Kong bank; the whole exchange runs in English.
Why the capital deposit stops founders in Hong Kong
A French company is formed in a set sequence: draft the articles of association, deposit the share capital, obtain the certificate of deposit, register at the one-stop shop, then release the funds. The deposit comes before the company legally exists — and for a Hong Kong founder it is the single step that cannot be handled through an existing banking relationship.
French company formation requires the share capital of an SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL or SCI to be deposited with an authorised depositary before registration. Historically that meant a bank. But French banks rarely open remote accounts for non-EU residents, which leaves founders in Hong Kong in a deadlock:
- No certificate of deposit without funds held.
- No funds held without an account.
- No account without travelling to France or waiting indefinitely.
As a gateway for companies expanding between Asia and Europe, Hong Kong is precisely where this one manual step should not hold up a launch.
The solution: a French notary as depositary, 100% online
Under the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce), a notaire (notary) is a public officer legally entitled to receive the deposit of cash contributions, just like a bank. Depotdecapital.com is a commercial platform operated in partnership with the notarial office Cellard Notaires & Avocats; a partner notary acts as the depositary and handles the entire process remotely for founders in Hong Kong. The notary holds your funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) — the French state deposit institution — and issues the official certificat de dépôt (certificate of deposit) required to register your company. You sign the fee agreement electronically, pay online, and receive an electronic certificate.
Step-by-step: deposit from Hong Kong
- Open your file online and specify the company form and the capital amount.
- Sign the fee agreement electronically and pay the service fee online.
- Upload your documents through the secure portal.
- Wire the share capital in euros from your Hong Kong bank to the notary's CDC account — no French IBAN of your own is needed.
- Receive the certificate of deposit within 24 hours once the funds are received and the file is complete.
- Register the company at the one-stop shop (guichet unique / INPI).
- Release the funds by uploading the KBIS (registration extract) and the company's RIB (bank details) so the notary transfers the capital to the company.
Documents you need (Hong Kong founder)
| Document | What it is | Hong Kong-specific note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Identity of each shareholder | Valid and legible; a legalized or apostilled copy may be required depending on the document |
| Proof of the French registered office | Lease or domiciliation contract | Must name the company's siège social |
| Draft articles of association (statuts) | Unsigned and undated | Finalised only after registration |
| Foreign tax number (NIF) | Tax ID from your country | Your Hong Kong Tax Identification Number (TIN) |
No French bank account and no French tax residence are needed to complete the deposit.
Cost and timeline
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deposit fee (non-resident) | €500 flat, no subscription |
| Deposit fee (France resident) | €230 |
| Certificate of deposit | Issued within 24h of funds received + complete file |
| Overall registration | Handled by the guichet unique — timescales vary, no promise given |
We do not promise a total registration timeline — the one-stop shop registers the company itself — but the deposit step, the usual sticking point for founders in Hong Kong, is fast and predictable.
Hong Kong-specific angle: an English-language gateway into Europe
A few points for founders based in Hong Kong:
- English throughout. The portal, the fee agreement and the correspondence all run in English, so the document that must be exact is never left to translation.
- Wire in euros. Have your Hong Kong bank convert HKD to EUR and send the capital in euros, so the exact credited amount matches your stated capital and is not eroded by FX on the French side.
- Built for an Asia-to-Europe move. The deposit is fully online and asynchronous, which suits a founder coordinating a European entity from a Hong Kong base.
- Tax number. Your Hong Kong Tax Identification Number serves as the foreign tax number to provide.
None of this requires you to hold anything French before you deposit.
Related guides
- French SAS / SASU formation for non-residents
- French capital deposit without a French bank account
- Open a French company as a non-resident
- Deposit share capital from Singapore
FAQ
Can a Hong Kong resident deposit French share capital without a French bank account? Yes. The partner notary is the authorised depositary and holds the funds at the Caisse des Dépôts; you wire directly from your Hong Kong bank.
What does it cost from Hong Kong? A flat €500, no subscription. France residents pay €230.
How quickly is the certificate of deposit delivered? Within 24 hours after the funds are received and the file is complete.
Is the process available in English? Yes. The portal, the fee agreement and the certificate are handled in English.
Which tax number do I provide as a Hong Kong founder? Your Hong Kong Tax Identification Number is used as the foreign tax number (NIF).
Do I have to travel to France? No. The fee agreement is signed electronically, payment is online, and the certificate is electronic.
Will the notary advise on my Hong Kong tax position? No. The service covers the regulated deposit step only; consult a qualified cross-border adviser for personal tax questions.
Deposit your capital online → https://depotdecapital.com/en/dossier
Certificate of deposit within 24h, flat fee, no French bank account required.
Start a deposit →Information only — not personalised legal or tax advice.