Nickel card: condition, account opening and withdrawal

The Nickel card allows everyone to open a bank account with a tobacconist. It is particularly suitable for teenagers, students, young professionals and those prohibited from banking. Is it a bank card? Which bank is behind Nickel? How to open your Nickel account? What are the ceiling, costs, advantages and disadvantages? Answers.

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Is the Nickel card a bank card?

The Nickel card is a bank payment card and more precisely a Mastercard card with immediate debit and systematic authorization associated with the opening of a Nickel account. Particularly suitable for teenagers, students, young professionals and those prohibited from banking, it has 3.5 million customers in France. There are four types of cards, at varying prices:

• Nickel Classic (25 euros per year),
• My Nickel (35 euros per year),
• Nickel Chrome (55 euros per year),
• Nickel Metal (105 euros per year).

Created in 2014, the Nickel network was bought by BNP Paribas in 2017. Since then, this bank has managed the funds deposited in Nickel accounts.

What are the conditions for opening a Nickel account?

To subscribe to a Nickel account, the future customer must respect the following conditions:

• the use of the account must not be professional,
• be of legal age or aged 12 or over and be legally represented.

When opening the account, you will need to provide identification and take a photo of yourself. To open a youth account, you will need to provide the child’s identity document, as well as a copy of the family record book.

Where to open a Nickel account in France?

Opening a Nickel account is possible in two ways, but whether you opt for one or the other, you will always have to go to a tobacconist or to a point in the Nickel network. The economic partnership existing since 2014 with the Confederation of tobacconists was renewed in February 2024 and constitutes the largest banking network with more than 7,500 points of sale in mainland France and overseas.

How to open a Nickel account?

Opening an account online

You can open a Nickel account from the Nickel.eu website. Simply click on “Open an account” to access the opening form. After completing it, you will receive a five-digit code by SMS or email. Then go to your tobacconist or Point Nickel to buy your Nickel card. The fixed annual cost is 25 euros. After activating your account with the merchant, you will receive your RIB and PIN code by SMS.

Opening an account with a tobacconist or at a Nickel point

You can also open your bank account directly with your tobacconist or at a Nickel point:

• Buy a box (25 euros) containing your Nickel card;
• Register on the Nickel terminal;
• Activate your account and your card with your merchant and receive your RIB;
• Receive your PIN code by SMS.

What are the bank fees for a Nickel account?

Apart from the annual cost of the Nickel card (25 euros per year), the fees depend on the transactions carried out on your account and the nature of the card held.

Account funding

It is possible to fund your Nickel account in different ways:

• by bank transfer: completely free for all cards.
• cash deposit at a Nickel point: fee of 3% of the amount deposited except for the Nickel Metal card which is free.
• By bank card: 2% of the amount deposited for all cards.

Card payments

Payments made in euros are free. Payments made by card in a currency other than the euro are charged 1 euro for payment with Nickel and My Nickel cards. It is completely free for holders of Nickel Chrome and Nickel Métal cards.

Withdrawals from ATMs and abroad

At Nickel the first three monthly withdrawals are free from all tobacconists and Nickel Points. The following are charged 0.5 euros/withdrawal. Withdrawals from automatic teller machines (ATMs) are charged 1.5 euros per withdrawal.

Withdrawals made abroad in the extended euro zone and within a Nickel point are charged 0.5 euros per withdrawal. Those carried out in a distributor are charged 1.5 euros with the Nickel cardMy Nickel or Nickel Chrome. It’s completely free if you have a Nickel Métal card. Withdrawals made outside the extended euro zone vary between 2.5 euros for the Nickel and My Nickel cards, 1.5 euros for the Nickel Chrome card and free for the Nickel Metal card.

What are the prices of the main Nickel services?

Transfer, printing of RIB, check cashing…

Prices for the main Nickel services:

• My account by SMS: 60 free SMS then 1 euro per pack of 10 additional SMS.
• instant SEPA transfer: 0.50 euros
• Printing the RIB: 1 euro
• Card PIN code return: 0.50 euros
• Check cashing: 3 euros per check
• Rejection of direct debit: 10 euros
• Card replacement: 12.5 euros

Insurance

Like any Mastercard network card, the Nickel card gives you insurance and assistance guarantees. The Nickel Chrome card (55 euros per year) offers, for example:

• travel insurance (canceled or delayed flights, lost or damaged luggage, snow and mountains, etc.),
• medical assistance (illness, injury, death, etc.),
• daily life insurance (non-compliant delivery, damaged package, theft of personal effects, etc.)
• additional guarantees (employment assistance, psychological support, etc.)

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What maximum amount can you put in a Nickel account?

When you activate your Nickel card, you can deposit up to 250 euros for free. Then, you can fund your account each month with up to 950 euros (in one or more payments). The amount is immediately credited to your account.

Good to know : the counter is reset to zero at the start of the month.

Where to withdraw and pay with a Nickel card?

In addition to the Nickel card allowing you to pay for online purchases, it allows you to withdraw cash in France and abroad from all ATMs, but also from a Nickel tobacconist and at a Nickel point. The Nickel card can also be used at all points of sale accepting the Mastercard card, all around the world.

Good to know : abroad Nickel only charges a flat fee per transaction, but there is no foreign exchange commission or local bank commission.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Nickel account?

No risk of overdraft, agios or penalties

The main advantage of the Nickel account is that it can be opened by anyone without income conditions. An identity document is sufficient. The very nature of the Nickel account associated with an immediate debit card with systematic authorization means that there is no risk of spending more than the amount held in the account. This therefore excludes any risk of bank overdrafts, agios, penalties and falling into the infernal spiral of over-indebtedness.

Little risk in the event of loss or theft of the card

Other advantages, the immediate debit card allows you not to travel with too much cash on you, which is reassuring when traveling. Likewise, if you misplace it or have it stolen, the balance acts as a limit while waiting to file an objection.

Better manage your budget thanks to the app and the customer area

Furthermore, the possibility of permanently accessing the account balance in real time on its Application or Customer Area allows you to better manage your budget.

Inability to benefit from an overdraft authorization or deferred debit

The main disadvantage is that it is impossible to benefit from any overdraft authorization which would be useful in certain situations or even to benefit from deferred debit.