Garanti BBVA Kripto to Offer Crypto Trading to the Public in 2025

Highlights:

• Garanti BBVA Kripto will soon offer crypto trading to the public after MiCA adoption.  
• BBVA has partnered with Bit2Me, a Spanish crypto exchange, to carry out the trades.
• Many European banks plan to launch crypto trading in 2025 due to the demand for the service.

Garanti BBVA Kripto is preparing to start offering crypto trading services to the public. Garanti BBVA will run the crypto platform. BBVA controls an 86% stake in Garanti BBVA. 

Garanti BBVA Kripto, a Turkish crypto custody platform under BBVA, the second largest bank in Spain, is about to open cryptocurrency trading services to the public. With the EU MiCA Act fully taking effect on December 30, more than 50 European financial institutions have…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 2, 2025

Since January 2024, the platform has advertised crypto trading on its website. The service was only available as a pilot test. This comes as the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations are being rolled out across the European Union. This regulation gives institutions some regulatory clarity on expanding crypto services.  

BBVA Partners with Bit2Me

To carry out the trades, BBVA has partnered with Bit2Me, a Spanish crypto exchange. Bit2Me was founded in 2014 and provides infrastructure for Garanti BBVA Kripto’s operations. 

Abel Peña, chief sales officer at Bit2Me, commented on the partnership. According to him, BBVA took off in Turkey because regulations were favorable. BBVA had the opportunity to launch crypto services in Turkey before European peers.  

Peña confirmed that BBVA is ready to integrate with additional financial institutions. Many banks, he noted, are gearing to roll out similar services in the near future.  

European Banks Eye Crypto Growth

Peña expects a surge of crypto adoption among European banks this year. The first quarter will see many institutions launching crypto trading services. Currently, Bit2Me is in contact with more than 50 banks in Europe and all around the world.  

This trend shows that there is a growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies in the financial sector. This shift, according to Peña, is due to MiCA’s regulatory clarity. This framework makes the approval of banks for crypto trading easier.  

Additionally, it also aims to meet growing requests from users and companies. Customers want to access assets like Bitcoin and Ether through trusted institutions. These demands have gotten banks scrambling to expand their crypto offerings.  

Regulations Boost Crypto Adoption

The MiCA regulation has opened new doors for financial institutions. Banks may use it to secure domestic approvals to provide virtual currency services. European customers will be exposed to Bitcoin, Ether, and other digital assets through BBVA.  

MiCA is here, folks! 🚨

Europe just hit send on its landmark crypto regulation, bringing all 27 EU states under one rulebook. 🧑‍⚖️

Inspired by France’s Pacte Law, it’s aimed at harmonizing the market—though it wouldn’t have stopped scandals like FTX.

Key bits? Licensed providers… https://t.co/IwDafYdXzx pic.twitter.com/KAW5bvb7p2

— Winny (@0xWINNYx) January 2, 2025

Interest in cryptocurrencies has also been further driven by the success of U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In less than a year, these ETFs saw record inflows. Banks can no longer ignore the demand for crypto exposure.  

Political developments have also boosted crypto adoption. US President-elect Donald Trump has voiced his support for cryptocurrencies. This has shaped the global financial sector’s attitude towards digital assets.  

Banks Innovate with Blockchain Technology

Other European banks are also adopting blockchain technology. Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank, is building a rollup on Ethereum using ZKsync technology. It also provides custody and tokenization services with Taurus, a Swiss based company.  

France’s leading financial services provider, Société Générale, has launched its own crypto initiatives. Its crypto arm, SG-FORGE, also deployed a euro stablecoin on the XRP Ledger.