BPCE Expands Crypto Access to 2 Million Retail Customers Through Banking Apps

European banking heavyweight BPCE is launching a significant crypto trading initiative, bringing digital asset trading directly to 2 million retail customers through its flagship Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne banking applications. The rollout, set to begin this week for customers at four regional banking subsidiaries, marks a strategic move to democratize cryptocurrency access across a major European banking network.

The crypto trading service enables customers to directly purchase and sell four major digital assets: Bitcoin (BTC) currently trading around $78.63K, Ethereum (ETH) at approximately $2.43K, Solana (SOL) near $104.78, and the stablecoin USDC. These transactions will flow through a dedicated digital asset account managed by Hexarq, BPCE’s specialized cryptocurrency subsidiary, which handles all custody and trading operations.

Service Structure and Pricing

The account structure reflects a balanced approach to retail crypto adoption. Customers will incur a €2.99 monthly subscription fee along with a 1.5% transaction commission on each trade, with a minimum charge of one euro per transaction. This fee structure positions BPCE competitively within the emerging European bank-led crypto trading landscape. The graduated rollout will initially reach approximately 2 million retail customers in this pilot phase before expanding to the bank’s complete 12-million-strong retail customer base by 2026.

According to BPCE representatives, this phased approach allows the institution to carefully monitor customer adoption patterns and assess system performance under real-world conditions before scaling across the entire retail network. This cautious scaling strategy reflects best practices for integrating emerging financial technologies into established banking infrastructure.

The European Banking Shift Toward Crypto

BPCE’s move aligns with a broader trend among established European financial institutions embracing cryptocurrency integration. Spanish banking giant BBVA has already enabled crypto trading directly within its mobile banking platform, while Santander’s digital banking arm Openbank provides customers access to multiple crypto assets with integrated custody solutions. Additionally, a Vienna-based Raiffeisen Bank subsidiary partnered with European crypto exchange Bitpanda to bring digital asset trading capabilities to its customer base.

This convergence reflects a fundamental shift in how traditional banking institutions view cryptocurrency. Rather than maintaining distance from digital assets, major European banks now recognize crypto trading as a competitive service feature expected by digitally-savvy retail investors. BPCE’s ambitious expansion to 12 million customers through 2026 signals confidence that this market opportunity will continue growing throughout Europe.