BBVA has introduced cryptocurrency trading for retail customers in Spain, offering Bitcoin and Ethereum trading and custody services through its mobile banking app.
The service, available to eligible customers, allows them to buy, sell, and hold digital assets within the bank’s platform. Bitstamp by Robinhood is acting as one of the initial liquidity providers for the new service. The exchange is supplying the infrastructure behind the crypto transactions, facilitating access to trading and custody within a regulated framework.
BBVA aligns with EU crypto regulation
The development follows BBVA's registration under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. Overseen by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the MiCA framework establishes uniform standards for crypto services across the European Union. BBVA’s registration aligns the bank’s digital asset operations with EU requirements on investor protection and compliance.
BBVA received approval from the Spanish Securities and Exchange Commission (CNMV) to offer custody and execution of services for crypto trading orders in March 2025. As required by MiCA, the bank completed the formalities with the CNMV and launched the solution initially for a small group of users, gradually extending it to all private customers in Spain.
In 2021, BBVA rolled out a Bitcoin trading desk and custody service for private banking clients in Switzerland, which later expanded to include Ether and USDC. In 2023, Garanti BBVA in Turkey set up a specialised company that now offers a wide range of crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, Solana, XRP, AVAX, Chiliz, and others.
By integrating digital assets into its existing foreign exchange infrastructure, BBVA becomes the first traditional bank in Spain to offer retail-facing crypto services. A representative from BBVA noted that the move reflects ongoing demand for digital assets among clients and that the bank’s crypto trading desk is now operational.
A Bitstamp by Robinhood official commented that the exchange is facilitating the initiative by providing necessary liquidity and regulatory infrastructure, positioning traditional financial institutions to incorporate crypto services more effectively. Bitstamp by Robinhood operates under multiple regulatory licences, including in New York, Louisiana, and Singapore, and is registered under MiCA via Luxembourg.
