BBVA, Spain's second-largest lender, announced on March 10 that it has received regulatory approval from the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) to offer Bitcoin and Ether trading services through its mobile banking app. The initiative allows clients to buy, sell, and manage these cryptocurrencies directly, with the bank utilizing its own cryptographic key custody system for complete control over customer assets without third-party involvement. Initially, the service will be available to a select group of users before expanding to all private customers in Spain over the coming months. This move follows BBVA's previous crypto services launched in Switzerland and Turkey, adapting to the evolving European regulatory landscape, particularly in light of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which is set to fully come into effect by July 2026. As traditional finance firms progress with MiCA compliance, the regulatory environment is prompting rapid integration of crypto services across the EU.

Source 🔗