Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), one of Europe's largest banking groups, has struck a formal partnership with @Bitpanda_global to roll out digital asset trading across its network. RBI, a
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), one of Europe's largest banking groups, has struck a formal partnership with @Bitpanda_global to roll out digital asset trading across its network. RBI, an Austrian banking group with operations across Central and Eastern Europe, is expanding its cryptocurrency push through a group-wide partnership with Bitpanda.
Bitpanda Enterprise will provide the digital asset infrastructure that RBI's network banks can use to introduce crypto services, potentially reaching about 18 million customers, according to a joint announcement on Wednesday.The rollout is set to happen step by step, with each network bank deciding on its own offering and timing, depending on local regulatory requirements and market conditions.
RBI CEO Michael Höllerer said the bank is seeing growing demand for crypto assets across its markets and is addressing it with Bitpanda. The announcement is one of the first major moves under his leadership, with the two companies planning a phased rollout through subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe, with Raiffeisen aiming to announce a new medium- to long-term strategy as soon as later this month.
Bitpanda is authorized under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), making it a natural fit for banks navigating the EU's evolving regulatory landscape. Bitpanda provides the infrastructure in the background, while the customer relationship stays with the bank.
The partnership is not starting from scratch. The Raiffeisen Banking Group was one of the first traditional banking groups in the European Union to offer its customers a crypto offering, powered by the Bitpanda Enterprise infrastructure.In early 2024, the integration into its banking app Mein ELBA went live, allowing customers to buy and sell cryptocurrencies without opening a separate account on a crypto platform.
The RBI arrangement is meaningfully larger in geographic reach, covering 11 markets simultaneously under a single framework agreement.The ongoing expansion of this partnership demonstrates that digital assets are increasingly evolving from a niche topic into an integral part of modern financial services.
Sources:Bloomberg: Raiffeisen to Let 18 Million Customers Buy Crypto via BitpandaCointelegraph: Raiffeisen Expands Crypto Access With BitpandaBitpanda Blog: Raiffeisen and Bitpanda Partnership Expansion
