KBC to launch crypto trading for retail investors from Belgium and Central, Eastern Europe

KBC Group is preparing to offer retail clients in Belgium the opportunity to invest in major cryptocurrencies this fall, local media unveiled.

With the move, the large financial services company is taking the lead among Belgian banks, which have been shunning the decentralized digital assets until now.

KBC to allow cryptocurrency trading through Bolero

Belgian bank KBC will let retail customers trade Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) via its investment platform Bolero in the coming months, Belga news agency reported on Wednesday.

The initiative is a first in Belgium, where traditional banks have been reluctant to enter the crypto market, with Belgian investors turning to global trading venues such as Coinbase and Binance or using the services of neobanks like Revolut and Bunq.

Other major banks in Belgium, like Belfius, ING, and BNP Paribas Fortis, remain cautious, the report notes, pointing out that only the state-owned Belfius has so far signaled interest in exploring crypto through its Rebel platform.

KBC is currently in the process of obtaining regulatory approval to operate as a crypto asset service provider, according to an article published by the Flemish daily De Tijd.

The bank has indicated its offering will focus on investor education, security, and regulatory compliance. Financial authorities are expected to greenlight it by the fall, the Dutch-language newspaper added.

The group is delving into crypto amid the enforcement of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) law, which aims to establish uniform rules for the industry across the bloc while improving oversight, including compliance with anti-money laundering requirements.

KBC’s decision to facilitate crypto trading for its retail clients is meant to address growing investor interest in cryptocurrencies in the Benelux country, particularly among young Belgians, the media reports noted.

A survey conducted by Belgium’s Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) showed that 43% of Belgian investors under 29 have already bought crypto. The share of such investors grows to 45% in the age segment under 30.

European banks flock into the crypto market

By taking the path toward entering the cryptocurrency market, KBC is joining other European banking institutions that are preparing similar moves.

Deutsche Bank is finalizing its project to launch a crypto custody service in 2026, according to Bloomberg. In another report this week, the news agency revealed that Germany’s giant Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe will allow users of its banking app to trade cryptocurrencies within a year.

Meanwhile, one of Italy’s top banks, UniCredit, is launching a five-year, dollar-denominated investment certificate tied to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The product is targeting professional clients and offers capital protection at maturity.

The KBC Group, which is the second-largest Belgian bank-insurer, is focused on providing services to private clients and small to medium-sized enterprises in Belgium, but also in several developing markets in Central and Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.

Finance industry players in the CEE region have also witnessed a rapidly growing interest in crypto investment opportunities. In response, Poland’s largest insurance firm, PZU, announced in May a Bitcoin fund offering that will give Polish investors exposure to the leading cryptocurrency under EU rules.

PZU’s move comes despite challenges stemming from the delayed implementation of Europe’s latest regulations in the country. A renewed push in Warsaw to transpose the EU legislation into national law has stirred the local crypto community.

Members of the industry fear the standards their government is drafting are actually stricter than MiCA, going beyond what Brussels is prescribing. Representatives of the crypto sector are warning that the upcoming Polish regulations favor large foreign companies while forcing smaller domestic crypto firms to look for more favorable conditions abroad.

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