The heavyweight institution of the French banking industry, BPCE, is preparing to open cryptocurrency trading to its millions of retail customers, becoming one of the first large traditional banks in Europe to officially offer digital asset services.
According to The Big Whale, starting Monday, users will be able to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and USDC stablecoin directly within the mobile apps of Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne.
The initial phase will cover four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, expected to reach approximately 2 million customers. BPCE plans to gradually roll out the service to the remaining 25 regional banks by 2026, ultimately covering all 12 million of its retail customers.
A source close to the bank told The Big Whale that the phased approach aims to "observe the performance of the service in its early stages" before further scaling up.
Reportedly, when users buy and sell cryptocurrencies within the app, it will be done through a dedicated digital asset account managed by BPCE's crypto subsidiary, Hexarq. The account charges a monthly fee of €2.99 (approximately $3.48) and a 1.5% commission on each transaction, with a minimum fee of $1.16. Users can directly use the service without relying on external exchanges or third-party wallets.
In the European market, competition is intensifying between traditional banks and crypto-friendly fintech companies, with platforms like Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack, and Trade Republic offering cryptocurrency trading services.
Additionally, several European financial institutions have taken similar initiatives. BBVA allows Spanish customers to directly buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin and Ethereum within its app, supported by the bank's own custody services. Santander's digital brand Openbank offers trading and custody services for five cryptocurrencies; Raiffeisen Bank's branch in Vienna collaborates with Bitpanda to provide crypto services to retail customers.
Cointelegraph has sought comments from BPCE but has not received a response before publication.
Last month, French lawmakers passed an amendment by a narrow margin, planning to expand the country's wealth tax to "non-productive assets," which includes certain real estate, luxury goods, and digital assets such as cryptocurrencies.
According to the amendment, individuals holding over $2.3 million, classified as "non-productive wealth," will face a uniform tax rate of 1%. This move signifies a shift in France from the current progressive real estate wealth tax to a broader tax base that includes digital assets. The proposal still needs to be approved by the Senate during the review of the 2026 budget to officially become law.
Related: Ethereum Outperforms Bitcoin (BTC) Trend Turning Point: Will ETH See a 20% Increase?
Original: “French Banking Giant BPCE to Launch In-App Crypto Trading Service”
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