BPCE allows its customers to invest in crypto-actives by 2025

COPD, through its subsidiary Hexarq, allows its customers of Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne to invest in cryptoactives by 2025. The realization of this project is based on obtaining PSAN authorization from the AMF, placing the bank among the first in France to integrate cryptocurrency into its offer.

FACTS

• The BPCE Group, one of the ten largest banking groups in Europe, has been offering its customers to invest in cryptoactives since early 2025. This initiative, unprecedented for a bank of this size in France, will be led by Hexarq, its subsidiary specialized in digital assets.

• Hexarq, founded in 2021 to explore the opportunities offered by blockchain and cryptocurrency, recently obtained the PSAN registration (Provider of Digital Assets Services) issued by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). This registration allows it to offer regulated services such as the preservation, purchase and sale of digital assets.

• A dedicated app will be launched for clients of the Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne networks. The latter will be able to buy, sell and store their cryptocurrency directly from their usual banking interfaces, thus providing a safe and regulated alternative to conventional trading platforms.

• BPCE noted, however, that the effective launch of services will depend on the evolution of the regulatory framework and the control of risks associated with cryptocurrency, such as volatility or use in illicit activities.

ISSUES

• Retention and acquisition of customers With the rise of cryptocurrency, many customers turn to specialized platforms such as Binance or Coinbase. By integrating this type of service, BPCE aims to retain these clients and attract new ones, including younger generations who are often more receptive to these technologies.

• Securing digital assets One of the main arguments for a bank offering in cryptocurrency is increased security. Unlike private platforms, often criticized for their lack of guarantees in the event of piracy or bankruptcy, BPCE can provide a regulated and robust infrastructure to protect its clients' funds.

• Prudent innovation : The bank takes a measured approach to cryptocurrency volatility and associated risks, such as money laundering or fraud. The effective launch of its service offering is therefore conditional on a thorough analysis of the safety issues and the expectations of regulators.

• Strengthening competitiveness : BPCE positions itself as a precursor among European banks by integrating cryptocurrency into its services. This strategy can strengthen its image as an innovative group and meet the expectations of a changing market.

PERSPECTIVE

• The BPCE initiative is part of a global dynamic where traditional banks are increasingly exploring the universe of digital assets. Société Générale, with its subsidiary SG Forge, was thus the first French bank to obtain PSAN status for similar services.

• Internationally, major players such as PayPal and Visa technology, while initiatives such as MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) seek to harmonise the regulation of cryptocurrency at European level.

• In parallel, BPCE is diversifying its strategy. Its subsidiary Natixis, for example, remains focused on tokenization traditional financial assets. Last November, Natixis took part in the issue of a €100 million bond via blockchain, a significant step forward in the digitalisation of financial markets.

• With Hexarq, BPCE meets a dual ambition: to capture a growing market share of cryptocurrency while consolidating its role as an innovative player in traditional finance. This initiative reflects the rapid transformation of the banking industry in the face of the rise of breaking technologies such as blockchain.

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