Bank Leumi launches crypto trading via Galaxy partnership in early 2027

Bank Leumi, Israel's largest bank, will launch cryptocurrency trading for customers beginning in early 2027, according to CoinDesk and The Block. Customers of both Leumi and its mobile banking unit, Pepper, will be able to buy, hold, and sell bitcoin, ether, and solana through a dedicated section of the Leumi Trade app, the bank's capital-markets trading platform.

Galaxy Digital will serve as the infrastructure provider, supplying trading services through GalaxyOne Institutional, its platform for banks and asset managers. Leumi has also signed an agreement to use Galaxy's custody infrastructure, formerly known as GK8, to support the offering. Per The Block's reporting, Israel received an estimated $22 billion in onchain crypto value during the 12 months ending June 2025 according to Chainalysis, providing context for Leumi's entry into the sector.

The bank is betting that customers will prefer a regulated banking interface over standalone crypto exchanges for their trading activity. In statement reported by CoinDesk, Maya Ravia, Leumi's head of strategy, described digital assets as an increasingly integral part of the global financial system. Galaxy Israel CEO Lior Lamesh characterized early-moving banks as helping define finance's shift toward open, programmable infrastructure.

Leumi becomes the first Israeli bank to announce such a service. The offering embeds crypto trading directly into a major bank's regulated platform, distinct from advisory services or passive custody arrangements some banks have previously announced. However, material commercial details remain undisclosed: neither Leumi nor Galaxy have announced fee structures, minimum trade amounts, or whether the service will be available to all Leumi customers or only certain segments. Regulatory approvals required for the offering have not been confirmed in published reporting.