The prominent French banking conglomerate BPCE is gearing up to launch crypto trading services for retail clients via its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne applications starting this Monday.
Customers from four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, will have the opportunity to buy and sell Bitcoin , Ethereum , Solana , and USDC directly through their banking applications, as reported by The Big Whale .
This initial rollout will reach approximately 2 million customers during its pilot phase, with BPCE aiming to extend access to its entire 12-million-strong retail customer base by 2026.
The service functions through a distinct digital asset account managed by Hexarq, BPCE’s crypto-focused subsidiary. Each account incurs a 2.99 euro ($3.48) monthly fee along with a 1.5% transaction fee, with a minimum charge of one euro per trade.
A representative from BPCE mentioned that this phased introduction is intended to assess adoption rates and system performance before expanding further.
Other European banks have already initiated similar offerings. BBVA provides direct crypto trading in its Spanish banking app, while Santander’s Openbank offers access to five cryptocurrencies with built-in custody. Additionally, a Vienna-based division of Raiffeisen Bank has partnered with Bitpanda to provide crypto services to its clients.
