Raiffeisen Bank to Offer Bitcoin Trading Across Europe Through Bitpanda Partnership
Austrian Bank Brings Bitcoin to 18 Million Customers
Raiffeisen Bank International, an Austrian banking group, is rolling out bitcoin trading for its 18 million customers. The bank announced on Wednesday that it is working with crypto brokerage Bitpanda to offer these services across Europe.
The move follows customer demand for crypto assets, according to the bank's statement. Raiffeisen said it wanted to meet customer needs through a trusted partner.
What the Bank's CEO Said
RBI chief executive Michael Höllerer said the bank noticed growing interest. "We are seeing growing demand for crypto assets in our markets, which we are addressing with a strong, reputable partner," he said. The bank wants to meet customer needs in the best way possible, he added.
How the Bitpanda Partnership Works
The new agreement creates a single approach for the entire Raiffeisen group, rather than setting up separate systems in each country. This builds on an earlier deal in Austria.
In 2024, Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederösterreich-Wien became the first traditional bank in the European Union to offer crypto trading within its existing banking app. That service used Bitpanda's technology.
Bitpanda Enterprise provides banks and other financial companies with tools to offer digital asset products. Their services include investment infrastructure, liquidity (the ability to buy or sell quickly), custody (secure storage), payments, stablecoins (digital currencies pegged to traditional money), and tokenisation (converting assets into digital tokens).
Where Raiffeisen Operates
Raiffeisen Bank International focuses on Austria and Central and Eastern Europe as its home markets. The group has subsidiary banks in 11 countries in the region.
The banking group employs about 42,000 people and serves 18.8 million customers through roughly 1,300 branches. Most of these branches are in Central and Eastern Europe.
Regional Raiffeisen banks own about 61.2 percent of the company. The remaining shares trade on the Vienna Stock Exchange.
Other Banks Entering Crypto
Raiffeisen is the latest major bank to enter the crypto space. Over the past 18 months, several institutions have launched or announced crypto trading for retail customers. These include BBVA, Santander's Openbank, Germany's cooperative and savings banks, SoFi, PNC, Charles Schwab, and Morgan Stanley.
What Is Confirmed
Raiffeisen Bank International announced the bitcoin trading rollout in an official statement on Wednesday. The bank confirmed it is working with Bitpanda. The service will be available to the bank's 18.8 million customers across its European markets.
What Remains Unclear
The announcement did not specify when exactly the bitcoin trading service will launch, which specific cryptocurrencies beyond bitcoin will be offered, or which countries will receive access first.
Source
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.
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