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

French banking heavyweight BPCE is preparing to introduce in-app cryptocurrency trading for its retail customers, making it a major European bank to offer digital assets. Initially, the service will roll out to approximately 2 million customers across four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, starting Monday. BPCE plans a gradual expansion to cover its entire 12-million-strong retail base by 2026. Crypto purchases and sales will be managed via a dedicated digital asset account within the banking apps, operated by BPCE’s subsidiary, Hexarq. This service will incur a monthly fee of 2.99 euros ($3.48) and a 1.5% commission per trade, with a minimum charge of $1.16, allowing users to trade without external exchanges. This move intensifies competition with other European institutions like BBVA and Santander that already offer crypto services.

(Source：Cointelegraph)