French banking giant BPCE to launch in-app crypto trading: Report

French banking heavyweight BPCE is preparing to present crypto trading to millions of its retail customers, making it 1 of the archetypal large accepted European banks to connection integer assets.

According to a report from The Big Whale, the radical volition let users to bargain and merchantability Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL) and USDC (USDC) straight wrong its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne mobile apps starting Monday.

The archetypal rollout volition screen clients of 4 determination banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, reaching astir 2 cardinal customers. BPCE plans to widen the work gradually crossed its remaining 25 determination entities done 2026, yet making crypto trading disposable to its afloat 12-million-strong retail base.

A slope insider reportedly told The Big Whale that the phased attack is intended to “monitor however the work performs astatine launch” earlier scaling.

BPCE to connection crypto trading. Source: Raphaël Bloch

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BPCE rolls retired paid in-app crypto accounts

Crypto purchases and income volition beryllium handled done a dedicated integer plus relationship wrong the banking apps, managed by Hexarq, BPCE’s crypto subsidiary, per the report. The relationship carries a 2.99 euros ($3.48) monthly interest and a 1.5% committee per trade, with a minimum of $1.16. Users volition beryllium capable to entree the work without needing outer exchanges oregon third-party wallets.

BPCE’s determination comes arsenic contention intensifies crossed Europe betwixt accepted banks and crypto-friendly fintechs specified arsenic Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack and Trade Republic, each of which are offering entree to integer assets.

Several European institutions person besides taken akin steps. BBVA allows Spanish customers to buy, merchantability and clasp Bitcoin and Ether straight wrong its app, backed by in-house custody. Santander’s integer limb Openbank offers trading and custody for 5 cryptocurrencies, portion Raiffeisen Bank’s Vienna-based portion partnered with Bitpanda to bring crypto services to its retail clients.

Cointelegraph reached retired to BPCE for comment, but had not received a effect by publication.

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France to taxation crypto arsenic “unproductive wealth”

Last month, French lawmakers narrowly approved an amendment that would widen the country’s wealthiness taxation to screen “unproductive assets,” including definite existent estate, luxury items, and integer assets specified arsenic crypto.

Under the amendment, individuals holding much than $2.3 cardinal successful qualifying “unproductive wealth” would look a caller level 1% tax, a displacement from today’s progressive existent property wealthiness tax. The expanded taxable basal includes integer assets. The connection indispensable inactive walk the Senate arsenic portion of the 2026 fund process earlier becoming law.

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