BBVA has officially entered Spain’s retail cryptocurrency market, launching Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services through its mobile banking app in July 2025—a move that transforms the country’s second-largest bank into a digital asset custodian for everyday customers.
The initiative represents BBVA‘s third foray into crypto services, following Switzerland in 2021 and Turkey in 2023, though this marks the bank’s most ambitious retail expansion yet. Spanish customers can now buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin and Ether directly within the familiar BBVA mobile interface, eliminating the need for external exchanges or wallets—a seamless integration that would have seemed fantastical just a decade ago.
Operating under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation framework, BBVA filed the necessary paperwork with Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) in early 2025, ensuring compliance with both European and Spanish investor protection standards. The service is available to all retail customers of legal age without additional accreditation requirements, democratizing access to digital assets through traditional banking channels.
Notably, BBVA positions itself as a facilitator rather than advisor, offering customer-initiated services without investment guidance—a prudent approach given crypto’s notorious volatility. The bank emphasizes user responsibility while providing secure custody within its own infrastructure, effectively becoming a bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem.
The strategic focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum reflects pragmatic asset selection, targeting the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization rather than venturing into the Wild West of altcoins. While BBVA’s Turkish subsidiary offers broader cryptocurrency options, the Spanish service maintains deliberate restraint, perhaps recognizing that retail customers benefit more from simplicity than extensive choice. Unlike staking services that would allow customers to earn passive income through blockchain validation, BBVA’s offering focuses solely on traditional buy-and-hold trading functionality. Over eight financial institutions have applied for virtual asset service provider registration, indicating widespread institutional interest in Spain’s evolving crypto landscape.
This development underscores BBVA’s broader digital transformation agenda, positioning the bank as an innovator in financial inclusion. By embedding crypto functionality natively within its mobile platform, BBVA eliminates traditional barriers to digital asset adoption—no separate accounts, no complex wallet management, no technical expertise required. Drawing from over a decade of blockchain technology experience, BBVA brings institutional expertise to retail cryptocurrency services that few traditional banks can match.
The launch signals a significant shift in Spanish banking, where cryptocurrency services evolve from niche offerings to mainstream financial products, potentially accelerating mass adoption through institutional credibility and regulatory compliance.
