Financing the defence industry

Financing the defence industry is a major strategic issue for French and European sovereignty. As key players in financing the economy, French banks have long financed defence companies while supporting their export activities.

Against a backdrop of a worsening European geopolitical environment and the rapid expansion of the Defence Industrial and Technological Base (DTIB), French banks are fully mobilised to step up their support for companies in the sector. In 2025, financing provided to defence companies by the six leading French banking groups therefore increased by 25% year on year.

This document is intended to foster dialogue between financial players, manufacturers and public authorities, in particular on the regulatory conditions that will enable banks to maintainand step up this commitment in support of French and European sovereignty. In this respect, it presents concrete proposals from the banking sector.

This document also presents non-exhaustive examples of how French banks are supporting defence financing, extending well beyond traditional bank lending.

In 2026, the FBF is attending Eurosatory for the first time. Mobilised and committed, French banks are playing their full role alongside defence industry companies.