Big news for European banking: French banking giant BPCE is launching crypto trading services for retail customers through its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne apps starting Monday. The pilot phase will reach 2 million users, with plans to scale to 12 million by 2026.
Customers will be able to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and USDC via a dedicated digital asset account managed by Hexarq, BPCE’s crypto-focused subsidiary. No external exchanges or third-party wallets are required—everything happens directly inside the banking apps.
The account comes with a €2.99 monthly fee and a 1.5% transaction commission (minimum €1 per trade). BPCE is taking a phased rollout approach, testing adoption rates and system performance with the initial 2 million users before expanding across its 25 other regional entities.
BPCE’s move positions it ahead of the curve in Europe, where traditional banks are under growing pressure from crypto-friendly fintechs like Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack, and Trade Republic.
Competitors such as BBVA, Santander Openbank, and Raiffeisen Bank have already integrated crypto trading into their apps, signaling a broader push toward digital asset adoption in mainstream finance.
This rollout marks one of the first major efforts by a traditional European bank to fully integrate crypto directly into consumer banking. It reflects the growing institutional acceptance of cryptocurrency as a standard financial product.
Regulatory context is shifting too: last month, French lawmakers approved a proposal to extend the wealth tax to unproductive assets, including crypto. Individuals with over $2.3 million in qualifying assets could face a 1% flat tax, pending Senate approval as part of the 2026 budget.
The takeaway? BPCE is bridging the gap between traditional banking and crypto, giving millions of French customers seamless access to digital assets, while testing the waters in a rapidly evolving European regulatory and competitive landscape.
