French banking heavyweight BPCE is preparing to introduce crypto trading to millions of its retail customers, making it one of the first major traditional European banks to offer digital assets.
According to a report from The Big Whale, the group will allow users to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL) and USDC (USDC) directly inside its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne mobile apps starting Monday.
The initial rollout will cover clients of four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, reaching roughly 2 million customers. BPCE plans to extend the service gradually across its remaining 25 regional entities through 2026, ultimately making crypto trading available to its full 12-million-strong retail base.
A bank insider reportedly told The Big Whale that the phased approach is intended to “monitor how the service performs at launch” before scaling.
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BPCE rolls out paid in-app crypto accounts
Crypto purchases and sales will be handled through a dedicated digital asset account within the banking apps, managed by Hexarq, BPCE’s crypto subsidiary, per the report. The account carries a 2.99 euros ($3.48) monthly fee and a 1.5% commission per trade, with a minimum of $1.16. Users will be able to access the service without needing external exchanges or third-party wallets.
BPCE’s move comes as competition intensifies across Europe between traditional banks and crypto-friendly fintechs such as Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack and Trade Republic, all of which are offering access to digital assets.
Several European institutions have also taken similar steps. BBVA allows Spanish customers to buy, sell and hold Bitcoin and Ether directly within its app, backed by in-house custody. Santander’s digital arm Openbank offers trading and custody for five cryptocurrencies, while Raiffeisen Bank’s Vienna-based unit partnered with Bitpanda to bring crypto services to its retail clients.
Cointelegraph reached out to BPCE for comment, but had not received a response by publication.
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France to tax crypto as “unproductive wealth”
Last month, French lawmakers narrowly approved an amendment that would extend the country’s wealth tax to cover “unproductive assets,” including certain real estate, luxury items, and digital assets such as crypto.
Under the amendment, individuals holding more than $2.3 million in qualifying “unproductive wealth” would face a new flat 1% tax, a shift from today’s progressive real estate wealth tax. The expanded taxable base includes digital assets. The proposal must still pass the Senate as part of the 2026 budget process before becoming law.
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