French banking giant BPCE is set to launch crypto trading for millions of its retail clients, positioning itself as one of the first significant traditional European banks to embrace digital assets.
As per a report from The Big Whale, the bank will enable users to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and USDC (USDC) directly through its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne mobile apps starting Monday.
The initial launch will cater to clients from four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, impacting approximately 2 million customers. BPCE aims to gradually roll out the service across its remaining 25 regional entities by 2026, ultimately providing crypto trading access to its entire retail customer base of 12 million.
A source from the bank reportedly informed The Big Whale that this phased approach aims to “monitor how the service performs at launch” before further expansion.
Related: EU plan would boost ESMA powers over crypto and capital markets
BPCE rolls out paid in-app crypto accounts
Crypto transactions will be managed through a dedicated digital asset account within the banking apps, handled by Hexarq, BPCE’s crypto subsidiary, according to the report. The account incurs a monthly fee of €2.99 ($3.48) and a 1.5% commission per trade, with a minimum fee of $1.16. Users can access the service without relying on external exchanges or third-party wallets.
BPCE’s initiative comes as competition strengthens in Europe between traditional banks and crypto-friendly fintech firms such as Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack, and Trade Republic, all of which provide access to digital assets.
Various European institutions have also made similar moves. BBVA enables Spanish customers to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin and Ether directly within its app, supported by in-house custody. Santander’s digital arm Openbank facilitates trading and custody for five cryptocurrencies, while Raiffeisen Bank’s Vienna unit has partnered with Bitpanda to deliver crypto services to its retail clients.
Cointelegraph sought comment from BPCE, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Related: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov free to leave France as travel ban lifted: Report
France to tax crypto as “unproductive wealth”
Last month, French legislators narrowly passed an amendment that extends the country’s wealth tax to include “unproductive assets,” such as certain real estate, luxury items, and digital assets like crypto.
Under the amendment, individuals holding over $2.3 million in qualifying “unproductive wealth” will incur a new flat 1% tax, a departure from the current progressive real estate wealth tax. The broadened tax base includes digital assets. The proposal still requires Senate approval as part of the 2026 budget process before it becomes law.
Magazine: 2026 is the year of pragmatic privacy in crypto — Canton, Zcash, and more
