- KBC Bank to offer Bitcoin, Ethereum trading via Bolero by fall 2025.
- Awaits CASP approval to ensure secure, regulated crypto investments.
- The move aligns with the EU’s MiCA framework, emphasizing compliance and education.
Belgian bank KBC announced that soon its retail customers will be able to trade in Bitcoin and Ethereum with the Bolero platform of its investment company, a first in the big Belgian banking world. The project team will introduce the initiative by the fall of 2025, following regulatory approval, to offer a secure and controlled way of accessing cryptocurrencies.
The bank is applying to be considered as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the regulations of the Belgian financial sector. They expect to obtain approval by fall, allowing clients to invest directly in digital assets. This move conforms to the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which aims to regulate and protect investors.
KBC’s Bold Step into Cryptocurrency
KBC’s Bolero platform will let customers trade Bitcoin and Ethereum alongside equities and bonds. The bank focuses on the importance of security, compliance with regulations, and educating investors to create confidence in the crypto market.
According to a KBC representative, the company will provide retail investors with direct access to Bitcoin and Ethereum in a secure environment, and a high emphasis on education and regulation compliance. This initiative aims to simplify crypto investments for ordinary customers and reduce their reliance on foreign exchanges like Binance or Coinbase.
Nowadays, Belgian investors tend to rely on foreign exchanges or fintech applications, such as Revolut, to get access to cryptocurrencies. The opening of KBC might be changing this trend by providing a local, regulated alternative. The initiative by the bank is in response to the rising demand, especially among the younger investors, with 43 percent of Belgians under 29 already owning cryptocurrencies.
European Banks Embrace Digital Assets
This action by KBC is part of a wider trend in Europe as conventional banks are opening up to digital assets. The Deutsche Bank of Germany is working to launch a crypto custody service in 2026, whereas Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe is going to provide Bitcoin and Ethereum trading to its 50-million customers this summer (2026). BBVA recommends that its wealthy customers in Spain invest up to 7 percent of their portfolios in cryptocurrencies.
MiCA regulation, introduced in 2024 by the EU, offers a definite structure to crypto services that gives a green light to banks to join the market. In this highly regulated environment, KBC’s aggressive pursuit of the CASP designation may inspire other Belgian banks, notably Belfius, to enter crypto, which has shown interest in the field via its Rebel platform.
KBC wants to connect the traditional finance sector and digital assets by providing Bitcoin and Ethereum. Ethereum’s expanding smart contract engine powers decentralized applications and financial protocols, while Bitcoin stores value. This combination of offerings enables investors to diversify in two major cryptocurrencies.
The bank will build its platform on top of the Bolero infrastructure and design it with a convenient interface for managing crypto investments. This combination allows doing away with third-party exchanges, making the investment process more secure and easier to use by retail customers.
The move by KBC might transform the financial sector in Belgium, and investors would be interested in using regulated platforms. When successful, it can only encourage other competitors to take action, and the crypto adoption in the region will be promoted. As the approval process goes on, the bank will report on its CASP application.
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