Openbank, the on-line banking arm of Banco Santander, has began providing retail prospects direct entry to cryptocurrencies in Germany, in accordance with firm statements and market stories.
The service lets customers purchase, promote and maintain crypto inside their checking account, with buying and selling accessible for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Polygon and Cardano.
Based on stories, the financial institution plans to make the providing accessible in Spain inside weeks and to roll it out to different EU international locations later this 12 months.
Santander Expands Crypto Access
The new characteristic is constructed into Openbank’s funding platform so prospects don’t want to maneuver cash to an outdoor trade.
According to the financial institution, customers can commerce cash from the identical app the place they handle different accounts.
Openbank, Banco Santander’s on-line financial institution, has began providing retail crypto buying and selling, the most recent transfer by a significant European lender into the asset class https://t.co/IcozNgW1at
— Bloomberg (@enterprise) September 16, 2025
The preliminary record consists of 5 main tokens, chosen for liquidity and demand, whereas a broader menu of belongings is anticipated in future updates.
Trading Costs And Custody Rules
Reports have disclosed the purchase and promote payment is 1.49% per transaction, with a minimal cost of €one per operation.
There are not any custody charges for holding belongings on the platform, the financial institution says. For informal buyers who plan to purchase and maintain, that no-holding-fee mannequin could also be enticing.
Heavy merchants, although, could discover the 1.49% price greater than some devoted crypto exchanges.
Rollout Timeline And Limits
Openbank’s launch started in Germany. Based on stories, Spain will comply with within the coming weeks, and broader EU availability is deliberate later within the 12 months.
The financial institution has indicated that it’ll add further cryptocurrencies sooner or later and probably supply crypto-to-crypto conversion sooner or later.
Currently, the service is all about fiat-to-crypto direct trades and a restricted number of well-known cash.
Regulatory And Compliance Notes
The product is roofed beneath the European Markets in Crypto-Assets regime, or MiCA, which offers guidelines for crypto providers throughout the EU.
The financial institution will implement KYC and AML processes relevant to regulated monetary establishments, stories add. That means prospects can anticipate identification checks and customary anti-money-laundering controls after they signal as much as commerce.
Why It Matters For Customers
This transfer brings crypto buying and selling into the mainstream banking app for retail customers. Reports have disclosed that conventional banks including crypto options could make it simpler for on a regular basis savers to attempt these belongings with out opening accounts on unfamiliar platforms.
At the identical time, the restricted preliminary token record and the payment degree imply severe crypto customers would possibly nonetheless want specialist exchanges for low charges or entry to many smaller tokens.
Santander’s digital unit has mentioned it should increase the service and widen the asset record. Based on stories, the financial institution goals to stability regulated oversight with simpler entry for retail purchasers.
Observers shall be watching how pricing, supported tokens and country-by-country rollout play out within the months forward.
Featured picture from American Banker, chart from TradingView
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