The BBVA banking group has opened Bitcoin and Ethereum trading and custody services for retail clients in Spain. The service is available in the bank’s mobile app for all adult customers.
The launch was preceded by an application submitted to the National Securities Market Commission in March 2025.
The bank independently holds clients’ assets and does not engage third-party custodians. Users perform transactions themselves. BBVA does not provide investment advice.
“We want to make it easier for our retail clients in Spain to invest in crypto assets through a simple mobile phone solution,” said Gonzalo Rodríguez, Head of Retail Banking at BBVA Spain.
The service complies with the European MiCA regulation.
Expansion
Previously, BBVA launched similar services through its subsidiaries in Switzerland and Turkey—in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Spain became the bank’s third market and the first where the service is directly targeted at retail clients.
Francisco Maroto, Head of Digital Assets, noted that BBVA will continue to develop its business in this area.
The bank plans to add new cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets (RWA) such as bonds and ETFs in the future.
Recall that in December 2023, BBVA’s Swiss division migrated its digital currency custody services to Metaco Harmonize, a platform owned by Ripple.
