Raiffeisen Bank Taps Bitpanda to Launch Crypto Trading in 11 European Markets

Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), one of Austria's largest banking groups, is expanding its cryptocurrency footprint through a group-wide partnership with Vienna-based crypto platform Bitpanda. The collaboration will bring Bitpanda Enterprise's digital asset infrastructure to RBI's network of subsidiary banks, potentially giving approximately 18 million customers across Central and Eastern Europe access to regulated crypto trading services.

Under the agreement announced on Wednesday, individual banks within the RBI network will be able to introduce cryptocurrency offerings based on local market conditions and regulatory requirements, with the rollout proceeding gradually across up to 11 European markets. RBI CEO Michael Höllerer said the bank is responding to growing customer demand for digital assets across its footprint. "As a customer-centric bank, we are committed to meeting our customers' needs in the best possible way," he said. A Bitpanda spokesperson confirmed that further details will be shared as individual markets are confirmed.

The partnership builds on a crypto integration launched in 2024 with Austria's Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien, one of RBI's regional subsidiaries. Bitpanda, which holds authorization under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), declined to comment on other ongoing discussions with financial institutions exploring crypto brokerage services. The company said it is regularly in talks with banks weighing entry into digital asset distribution.

The deal reflects a broader acceleration of crypto adoption among European banks operating under MiCA, which provides a unified licensing and compliance framework across EU member states. With RBI's extensive retail network and Bitpanda's regulated infrastructure, the partnership could serve as a template for traditional banking groups evaluating crypto service launches in the region.