BBVA will add Ripple Custody technology to its new retail service for buying and holding bitcoin and ether, marking a notable expansion of Ripple’s banking partnerships in Europe. The integration comes as banks across the EU move to roll out crypto services under the bloc’s MiCA framework.
The deal lets BBVA offer an end-to-end custody solution built on Ripple’s custody stack — technology born from Ripple’s acquisition of Swiss specialist Metaco. According to BBVA’s head of digital assets, Francisco Maroto, the integration enables the bank to provide custody with “the security customers expect from a major financial institution.”
Ripple already supplies custody tech to BBVA units in Switzerland and Turkey; adding Spain gives the company another foothold in Europe’s regulated market. Ripple’s broader compliance push — the firm says it holds more than 60 regulatory licenses globally — has helped accelerate commercial ties with traditional banks.
Industry observers say this deal illustrates a wider shift: banks are increasingly building retail crypto services using established infrastructure providers rather than outsourcing entirely to third-party platforms. For customers, that can mean smoother access to trading and custody inside familiar banking interfaces.
Risks: Customers should note custody and regulatory models vary by country — custody technology reduces some risks but does not eliminate operational, counterparty or regulatory risk. Banks must still meet AML/KYC and local compliance requirements under MiCA.
Source: CoinDesk. Read the original coverage for full details.