Yes: the capital of a commercial company can be deposited with a notary instead of a bank. However, it cannot be deposited with a payment institution on its own (if an online account offers the deposit, check which institution receives the funds), and the Caisse des dépôts has no longer accepted it since 1 June 2021. An SCI has no obligation to deposit its capital. 
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The options
| Option | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Bank, in branch or online | Issues the certificate of deposit of funds; the funds then become the company's account |
| Notary | Issues the certificate of deposit; after registration, the funds are paid into an account opened in the company's name |
| Payment institution on its own | Not possible for the capital |
| Caisse des dépôts | Closed since 1 June 2021 |
You still need a bank account afterwards
Depositing with a notary lets you avoid the bank at formation, not afterwards: a commercial company must have a bank account to receive its released capital and operate. Service-public
After the deposit
The depositary issues a certificate of deposit of funds, to be attached to the registration application. The funds are released on presentation of proof of registration.
Written by Razvan Toma, founder of LegalRapide. How we check our figures · LinkedIn