Major French bank BPCE launches in-app cryptocurrency trading service

BPCE, a leading French banking group, has provided millions of customers with the ability to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum directly, making it the first cryptocurrency to be offered in the traditional European financial sphere.
Cointelegraph reported on the 7th (local time) that French financial giant BPCE has launched a virtual currency exchange aimed at retail customers.
The bank said it plans to soon launch a cryptocurrency trading service, which is expected to be one of the first major European traditional banks to officially introduce digital assets.
According to reports, the BPCE Group will take over from Banque Populaire on the 9th.
Mobile apps of Caisse Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne allow customers to exchange Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and other cryptocurrencies.
The initial service will be provided by Banque Populaire d'Ile-de-France (BPO), which will enable users to directly buy and sell ETH, Solana (SOL), and USDC.
Populaire ̂le-de-France, Caisse d'Epargne, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
The new rules will be applied first to bank customers in four regions, including France-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), covering around 2 million people. BPCE has said it will implement the new rules by 2026.
The plan is to gradually expand to five regional banks, making cryptocurrency trading accessible to a total of 12 million retail customers.
A bank insider said the phased launch was "to closely monitor the initial results of the service."
Cryptocurrency transactions will be conducted through dedicated digital asset accounts managed by BPCE's cryptocurrency subsidiary, Hexarq, which will cost 2.99 euros per month.
There is a usage fee of $3.48 (approximately 542 yen), with a minimum of $1.16 (approximately 180 yen) per transaction and a 1.5% commission. Customers can use the banking app without an external exchange or wallet.
It is possible to process all transactions within it.