France Soir Groupe

What France Soir Groupe does

FranceSoir Groupe SA (formerly Mutualize Corp SA) is a Paris-headquartered, Euronext Marché Libre-listed (MLFSG, ISIN FR0013222346) holding company built around three strategic pillars branded as the 3M model: Media (FranceSoir, a 100% digital, free general news publication with a legacy brand dating to 1949 and over 200,000 published articles), Mutualisation (ZExpert, a crowd-expertise and crowdfunding platform, and Cards Off, a patented end-to-end e-commerce payment escrow system operating on a 'Not Delivered, Not Paid' principle), and Money-tisation (IT Prêt, a mortgage brokerage and credit restructuring intermediary partnered with major French banks). The group holds ACPR payment institution accreditation and ORIAS intermediary registration, and its Cards Off technology is protected by three granted patents (US 8,260,683 B2; US 7,983,991 B2; EP 2,050,054 B1).

The underlying technology stack is described as an AI-powered platform that unifies payments, fund escrow, and mutualization services across the three pillars, with the company's own site stating it provides services 'Autour d'une plateforme technologique novatrice et d'intelligence artificielle (AI)'. Distribution is direct-to-consumer/self-serve digital across France (FranceSoir, IT Prêt) and globally accessible for ZExpert and Cards Off, with bank partnerships serving as channel leverage for the IT Prêt mortgage flow.

The business model combines advertising and sponsored content on FranceSoir with transaction-fee revenue from IT Prêt mortgage brokerage commissions, ZExpert crowdfunding/expertise fees, and Cards Off payment guarantee fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per transaction. The company is small (11-50 employees), with €3.78M registered capital, last materially financed by a €3.29M capital increase in December 2018 subscribed by existing shareholders, and has not publicly disclosed revenue figures; a 2020 request to extend the 2019 AGM deadline is the most recent operational data point in the source.

Name

France Soir Groupe

Legal name

FranceSoir Groupe SA

Website

https://groupe.francesoir.fr

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FranceSoir Groupe SA is a Paris-listed micro-cap operating a three-pillar platform: free digital news (FranceSoir), crowd-expertise and patented e-commerce payment escrow (ZExpert/Cards Off), and mortgage brokerage (IT Prêt), serving French consumers and SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media & Financial Services

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Miscellaneous Intermediation (523910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Brokerage & Self-Directed Investing Platforms (FSAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Digital news media
• Mortgage brokerage services
• Crowd expertise crowdfunding
• Secure e-commerce payments
• Online transaction guarantee

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Digital Media - FranceSoir: FranceSoir operates as a 100% free digital general news publication. Revenue is generated through reader-facing digital content monetisation including advertising, sponsored content, and reader engagement-driven revenue streams. The model is centered on readers with a goal to attract large audiences.
2. Mortgage Brokerage - IT Prêt: IT Prêt SARL is a mortgage brokerage specialist negotiating loans and credit restructuring on behalf of clients in partnership with major banks. Revenue is generated through brokerage commissions on successful mortgage loan transactions.
3. Crowd-Expertise / Crowdfunding - ZExpert: ZExpert provides a participatory crowd-expertise platform enabling internet users to pool expertise and capital. Revenue is derived from transaction fees and services related to the crowd-expertise and crowdfunding services.
4. Cards Off Payment Guarantee Services: Cards Off provides a secure payment escrow service as a trusted third-party certifier in e-commerce transactions, operating on a 'Not Delivered, Not Paid' principle. Revenue is generated through transaction fees charged for certification and guarantee services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FranceSoir Groupe operates a multi-activity digital platform built around three pillars: Media (FranceSoir, a 100% free digital general news publication covering politics, society, and culture), Mutualisation (ZExpert crowd-expertise and crowdfunding platform, plus the patented Cards Off end-to-end e-commerce transaction security system), and Money (IT Prêt mortgage and credit refinancing brokerage negotiated with major French banks). The portfolio is delivered through an AI-powered technological platform that integrates payment processing, fund escrow, and content services under the '3M' (Media, Mutualisation, Monétisation) model.

Product overview

FranceSoir Groupe operates a unified multi-service platform organized around three strategic activities: Media, Mutualization, and Monetization (3M model). The core offering includes FranceSoir (100% digital news media), ZExpert (crowd-expertise/crowdfunding platform), IT Prêt (mortgage brokerage), and Cards Off (end-to-end payment security with patented 'Not Delivered Not Paid' technology). These products are connected through a proprietary technological platform that enables mutualization services and AI-powered processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• France Soir: 100% digital general news daily offering political, societal, and cultural information.
• IT Prêt
• ZExpert
• Cards Off

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Major French Banks (IT Prêt Partners)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIT Prêt operates as a mortgage brokerage specialist in partnership with the largest banks on the French market, negotiating the best credit conditions for its clients. The partnership enables IT Prêt to access a wide range of mortgage products and competitive rates for its customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Groupe Le Monde: Owner of Le Monde and HuffPost France,Groupe Le Monde is a major French digital news publisher operating with a similar reader-centric, advertising-supported model. Directly comparable as a French digital news competitor to FranceSoir.
• Ulule: Ulule is a leading French crowdfunding and participatory platform enabling creators and entrepreneurs to raise funds. Comparable to ZExpert as a French crowd-expertise/crowdfunding platform serving internet users.
• Pretto: Pretto is a French online mortgage broker that uses digital tools to streamline mortgage applications and bank negotiations. Comparable to IT Prêt as a digital-first French mortgage brokerage serving individual borrowers.
• Meilleurtaux: Meilleurtaux is a leading French online mortgage and insurance brokerage, operating digital platforms to negotiate loans with banks. Directly comparable to IT Prêt in mortgage brokering and credit intermediation.
• Cafpi: Cafpi is France's largest mortgage brokerage network, negotiating loans and credit refinancing with partner banks. Directly comparable to IT Prêt as a French mortgage broker serving individual borrowers.
• 20 Minutes France: 20 Minutes is a free French digital and print news outlet covering general news, politics, and culture. Directly comparable to FranceSoir as a free, digital-first French news publication targeting general audiences.
• Mediapart: Mediapart is an independent French online news publication known for investigative journalism in politics and society. It directly competes with FranceSoir for French readers seeking political and societal news.
• Slate.fr: Slate.fr is a French-language online news magazine covering politics, society, and culture. Operates with a similar digital-only, advertising-supported model targeting French readers, comparable to FranceSoir.
• Groupe Figaro: Le Figaro is one of France's historic national newspapers, now operating as a digital-first publication with diversified revenue from advertising, subscriptions, and events. Comparable to FranceSoir as a digital-first French news brand with similar audience targets.
• KissKissBankBank: KissKissBankBank is a major French crowdfunding platform supporting creative, entrepreneurial, and community projects. Comparable to ZExpert as a French participatory crowd-expertise and crowdfunding platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/france-soir

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about France Soir Groupe