France’s second-largest banking group, BPCE, has started offering crypto trading inside its mobile apps for selected customers. Launched Monday for users of Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne, the initial service lets about 2 million customers across four regional banks buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and USDC.
The rollout is cautious and geographically limited. Early availability covers specific regional branches — including Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur for Caisse d’Épargne and Île-de-France for Banque Populaire — while the bank monitors usage, fixes technical issues and refines the user experience. If the pilot goes well, BPCE plans to expand the offering to its remaining 25 regional entities by 2026, potentially reaching roughly 12 million retail clients.
BPCE set up a dedicated unit called Hexarq to operate customers’ crypto accounts. Clients receive an in-app digital-asset account held in the bank’s custody rather than being routed to external exchanges or third-party wallets. The service carries a €2.99 monthly custody fee and charges a 1.5% trading commission per transaction.
The move addresses competitive pressure from fintechs that introduced crypto earlier and attracted younger retail customers. Apps such as Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack and Trade Republic helped shape expectations for integrated in-app crypto services. Traditional European banks have also moved into the space: BBVA supports Bitcoin and Ethereum, Openbank (part of Santander) lists multiple coins, and Raiffeisen in Vienna offers crypto through a partnership with Bitpanda.
BPCE’s fees are higher than many crypto-first platforms, but many customers may value convenience and institutional custody over the lowest possible price. For users who prefer to keep banking and crypto under one roof, integration with everyday accounts and the perceived trust of their primary bank can outweigh fee concerns.
BPCE’s introduction of on-platform crypto trading could spur similar initiatives among large lenders eager to retain customers and remain competitive as digital-asset demand grows.