Description
La Nef is a French cooperative bank that lends only to projects with a social, ecological or cultural purpose, such as organic farms, renewable energy, shared housing and local shops, and publishes the full list of its loans every year. It is an alternative for savers who don’t want their money to fund the fossil-fuel investments of the big banks.
The Nef association was set up in 1978 and the financial cooperative in 1988. For decades it worked under an agreement with Crédit Coopératif that kept it from offering current accounts; it obtained its own banking licence at the end of 2024. At the end of 2025 it had 50,347 members, 91,170 customers, €1.16 billion in savings and €941 million in loans outstanding, and it funded 504 projects that year. Members vote on the rule of one person, one vote, whatever the number of shares they hold. In 2024 it made a net profit of €2.2 million on revenue of €21.5 million.
For individuals, La Nef offers savings: a savings account, term deposits and cooperative shares at €30 each, with at least three (€90) for a new member. The shares carry the Finansol label but are not guaranteed. Its first current account, Nef Pro, is for small businesses, sole traders and associations: €35 a month with a card, opening gradually from autumn 2026 (checked November 2026). A current account for individuals was announced in 2025 for early 2026 but had not launched by November 2026.
Strengths
- The full list of loans has been published every year since 2010, so savers can see which farms, cooperatives and housing projects their money funds.
- A cooperative of about 50,000 members, each with one vote at the general meeting.
- Its own banking licence since late 2024 lets it build current accounts and cards without depending on another bank.
Weaknesses
- Individuals still cannot open a current account or get a payment card, so La Nef cannot yet be a household’s main bank.
- Cooperative shares are not covered by the deposit guarantee fund, so a member can lose part of the money put in.
- The site lists 37 local member groups but no branch network, so face-to-face advice is hard to find.
Who it is for
Savers in France who keep their everyday account elsewhere but want their savings in a bank that publishes every loan, and associations or small businesses looking for an ethical current account.
Sources
- La Nef: chiffres clés (31.12.2025), finance éthique and history, parts sociales, compte courant Nef Pro, checked November 2026
- Moneyvox: ce qui va changer pour les clients de la Nef (July 2025)
- ComparateurBanque: La Nef lance enfin sa carte bancaire (2026)
- Meilleurtaux: La Nef lance Nef Pro (August 2026)