Belgium’s second-largest bank, KBC Bank, is set to become the first Belgian bank to offer direct trading of Bitcoin and Ether to retail investors under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
The move comes after years in which Belgian investors interested in crypto largely relied on foreign exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase, and OKX, or digital banking apps like Revolut and N26.
Until now, no major Belgian bank had integrated crypto trading directly into its core investment platforms.
The bank announced on Thursday that, starting the week of 16 February, Belgian private investors will be able to buy and sell the two largest cryptocurrencies through Bolero, KBC’s online investment platform.
KBC’s decision shows growing pressure on traditional financial institutions to respond to sustained retail demand, even as regulators across Europe tighten oversight of digital assets.
The launch follows KBC’s submission of a full Crypto-Asset Service Provider, or CASP, notification to the relevant authority under MiCA.
While the bank did not specify which regulator it coordinated with, Belgium only recently completed its national implementation of MiCA.
The country published its implementing law in December 2025, with the framework becoming legally effective on Jan. 3, 2026.
Oversight of crypto markets in Belgium now falls jointly to the Financial Services and Markets Authority and the National Bank of Belgium.
Under MiCA, Bitcoin and Ether are not treated as stablecoins or asset-referenced tokens because they have no central issuer or pegged value. Instead, they fall under a broad category of “other crypto-assets.”
Even so, the regulation places extensive obligations on service providers like KBC and Bolero, including strict consumer protection rules, segregation of client assets, capital requirements, cybersecurity standards, and controls to prevent market abuse.
Any CASP authorized in one EU member state can, in principle, offer services across the bloc through passporting, a feature that has sparked debate among regulators.
KBC said crypto trading on Bolero will take place within a closed loop, meaning customers can only buy and sell crypto within the platform, with no external transfers permitted.
The bank said this structure is designed to reduce risks related to fraud, money laundering, and unauthorized transactions.
The bank will provide custody through its infrastructure, removing the need for customers to manage private keys or interact with third-party exchanges.