Ripple Partners with BBVA to Deliver In-House Crypto Custody in Spain

Highlights:

• Ripple has partnered with BBVA to expand custody services across Europe under the new MiCA framework.
• BBVA customers in Spain can now store and manage digital assets directly through the bank’s mobile application.
• European banks are adopting in-house crypto custody services as MiCA boosts confidence in digital assets.

Ripple has expanded its presence in Europe by introducing digital asset custody services with Spanish banking giant BBVA. The initiative, announced on September 9, extends Ripple’s custody platform into Spain. It enables the bank to securely store and manage cryptocurrencies as well as tokenized assets.

RIPPLE PARTNERS WITH SPANISH BANK – BBVA!#Ripple will power digital asset custody for Spanish retail clients, expanding on partnerships in Switzerland & Turkey. pic.twitter.com/ICkozlUTu4

— Summit Horizon (@SummitHorizon_) September 9, 2025

The BBVA mobile app now allows Spanish users to store their digital assets directly. The custody service covers leading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. The bank already supports these assets for trading and storage. With Ripple’s help, BBVA may expand its retail offering. At the same time, it will maintain high safety and regulatory requirements.

The initiative expands upon BBVA’s previous efforts into retail cryptocurrency services in Spain. Customers had already been given access to buy, sell, and store Bitcoin and Ethereum through the bank’s app. The new custody integration strengthens those services.  It does so by adding institutional-grade infrastructure.

According to BBVA, the new retail offering has been disclosed to Spain’s National Securities Market Commission. The bank emphasized that its customers initiate all transactions independently through the app, which reduces reliance on external third parties.

Compliance with MiCA Spurs Institutional Confidence

Ripple and BBVA pointed out that the new service is in accordance with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework established by the European Union. This legal framework sets the guidelines for operations involving digital assets in the entire EU, giving banks the assurance to increase their services.

Cassie Craddock, the managing director of Ripple in Europe, observed that the launch of MiCA has prompted conventional institutions to offer services that customers have so demanded. She explained that banks across the bloc now feel better positioned to develop offerings that align with customer demand.

BBVA also emphasized that the compliance with MiCA is a core part of its strategy. The framework enables institutions such as BBVA to offer custody services under transparent and supervised operation of the institution. This strategy, as stated by the bank, leads to an increase in trust in the customers, who grow more interested in crypto assets.

Across Europe, more banks are preparing to introduce similar services. MiCA’s framework has provided the clarity institutions sought, and it has positioned the region to become a leader in regulated digital asset services. For instance, CoinShares was recently granted a MiCA license via its French subsidiary.

JUST IN: CoinShares secures a full #MiCA license in France — opening the door to EU-wide crypto asset management. This isn’t just paperwork — it sets the stage for multi-jurisdictional scale. Big win for compliant DeFi infra. 📈 #CryptoRegulation #CoinShares #Web3 #EUcrypto pic.twitter.com/MaD5ejmMLW

— ₿itBlitz (@BitBlitz) July 28, 2025

Ripple Partners with BBVA to Expand European Reach

With its debut in Spain, Ripple expands its partnerships with BBVA, which began in Switzerland and Turkey. In those markets, the bank already uses Ripple’s custody technology to strengthen its digital asset operations. Ripple Custody, the blockchain firm’s product of its 2023 acquisition of Swiss custody company Metaco, is the backbone of these offerings.

Francisco Maroto, head of BBVA’s digital asset business, stated that the collaboration gives the bank the resources it needs to earn the trust of its customers for a very long time. He explained that Ripple Custody provides both the security and reliability expected from a major financial institution. “Through this agreement we can deliver on our goal of supporting our customers to explore digital assets, backed by the strength and security of a bank like BBVA,” Maroto said.