What happened?
BBVA became the first major Spanish bank to offer 24/7 retail trading of Bitcoin and Ether directly inside its mobile banking app with CNMV approval. The service is integrated on the same rails as FX, uses SGX FX technology, and relies on BBVA’s in-house cryptographic key storage plus partnerships with Binance and Ripple for custody support. It starts with a limited rollout in Spain and will expand to more customers in the coming months.
Who does this affect?
Retail BBVA customers in Spain — and potentially millions across its global client base — now have easy, bank-backed access to BTC and ETH without leaving their banking app. Wealth management clients get advised allocation options and custodial services, while exchanges, custody providers, and competing banks face new partnership and competitive pressures. Regulators and European investors also see this as a sign that MiCA is making it easier for traditional banks to offer regulated crypto services.
Why does this matter?
Bringing crypto trading into a major retail bank lowers the barrier for mainstream investors and is likely to boost retail inflows, liquidity, and trading volumes for Bitcoin and Ether. The move creates momentum for other banks to follow, accelerating institutional adoption and tightening spreads as more regulated liquidity enters the market. Overall, it legitimizes crypto within traditional finance and could shift capital and custody flows toward bank-backed platforms, reshaping competition in the crypto ecosystem.