Openbank Launches Crypto Trading for German Clients with Major Cryptocurrencies

Highlights:

• Openbank launches crypto trading for German clients, including Bitcoin, Ether, and Cardano.
• Banco Santander’s digital branch plans to offer more cryptocurrencies, Spanish expansion, and crypto-to-crypto conversion features soon.
• German banks adopt MiCA rules, exploring stablecoins and digital asset custody services in Europe.

Openbank, the digital branch of Banco Santander, launched crypto trading for German retail clients on Tuesday. Users can now buy and sell Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, Polygon, and Cardano on the same platform as their other investments. The bank said it will add more cryptocurrencies in the coming months and launch the service for Spanish customers soon. New features, including crypto-to-crypto conversions, are also planned.

Coty de Monteverde, Grupo Santander’s Head of Crypto, said adding major crypto assets aims to diversify products and meet client demand.

She noted:

“By incorporating the main cryptocurrencies into our investment platform, we are responding to the demand of some of our customers and continue to strengthen a broad range of products and services through an agile, simple technology platform backed by one of the world’s leading financial groups”.

Openbank, Banco Santander’s online bank, has started offering retail crypto trading, the latest move by a major European lender into the asset class https://t.co/IcozNgW1at

— Bloomberg (@business) September 16, 2025

Santander, based in Spain, is among Europe’s biggest banks, serving over 175 million customers in over 40 countries. Its fully digital arm, Openbank, has more than two million clients in Spain, the US, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Mexico. 

Santander Plans New Crypto Services and Stablecoin Launch

Santander’s new service gives easy access to top cryptocurrencies, real-time prices, and transaction history for retail clients. This move comes after reports in May that Santander was planning broader retail crypto services, including a stablecoin project. The plan could involve launching a new token or offering existing stablecoins pegged to the euro or US dollar. To support these retail crypto services, Santander’s digital bank applied for licenses under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. 

Yesterday’s launch follows the full implementation of the EU’s MiCA rules. Banco Santander will ensure consumer protections and charge 1.49% on token purchases and sales. It remains unclear if the same fees will apply to future token-to-token swaps.

German Banks Accelerate Crypto Services Amid MiCA Adoption

Santander’s move reflects a wider trend in Germany, where major banks are preparing to offer crypto services under Europe’s MiCA rules. DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest lender, was an early adopter of crypto. In September last year, it launched a pilot across 700 cooperative banks using Börse Stuttgart Digital’s infrastructure.

In July 2025, Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, said it will start a digital asset custody service in 2026 with Austria’s Bitpanda and Swiss firm Taurus. Sabih Behzad, Deutsche Bank’s head of digital assets, said the bank may enter the stablecoin market by creating its own token or joining existing projects.

Mover, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe will let 50 million German customers trade crypto. The service will run through the Sparkasse app. DekaBank and Börse Stuttgart Digital will support it. Traditional finance is increasingly engaging with crypto, and Spain’s biggest bank is now following suit. A successful launch could boost crypto adoption across Europe’s financial sector.

🔥BREAKING🔥

🇩🇪 GERMANY’S LARGEST BANKING GROUP SPARKASSEN TO LAUNCH #CRYPTO TRADING IN 2026.

BANKS ARE IN FOMO 🚀 pic.twitter.com/pphPpNvRwC

— CryptoJack (@cryptojack) June 30, 2025