The Spanish banking giant introduces cryptocurrency services to meet growing demand.
Spanish bank BBVA has officially launched trading and custody services for bitcoin and ether for retail customers in Spain.
The new initiative allows all adult clients to access these services through the bank’s mobile app. The banking group has chosen to maintain full control over the custody of digital assets, opting not to rely on third-party providers to manage customer funds.
BBVA’s implementation of trading and custody services complies with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. The service launch was preceded by the submission of an application to the National Securities Market Commission in March 2025.
BBVA had already tested similar services in Switzerland and Turkey through its subsidiaries in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Spain now becomes the third market for these services, but the first where the offering is directly aimed at retail clients without intermediaries.
Gonzalo Rodriguez, Head of Retail Banking at BBVA in Spain, stated:
“We want to make it easier for our retail customers in Spain to invest in crypto-assets, through a simple and easy-to-access digital solution on their cell phone.”
Francisco Maroto, Head of Digital Assets at BBVA, announced future expansion plans, including the addition of new cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) such as bonds and ETFs.
BBVA is not the only financial institution embracing Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. International banks like JPMorgan Chase and Standard Chartered have already integrated digital asset services, offering trading and custody solutions to their clients.
