Raiffeisen Bank International Rolls Out Bitcoin Trading Across 11 European Markets Via Bitpanda

Raiffeisen Bank International is rolling out bitcoin trading to its 18.8 million customers across 11 European markets through an expanded partnership with crypto brokerage Bitpanda, according to Bitcoin Magazine. The move shifts the bank's approach from striking separate integrations in each market to a single unified infrastructure serving the entire group.

The expansion builds on a 2024 pilot by Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederösterreich-Wien (RLB NÖ-Wien), a subsidiary that became the first traditional bank in the European Union to offer crypto trading within its existing banking environment using Bitpanda's technology.

Raiffeisen Bank International treats Austria and Central and Eastern Europe as its home market, with subsidiary banks in 11 countries across the region. The group operates approximately 1,300 branches and employs about 42,000 people. The bank's shares trade on the Vienna Stock Exchange, with regional Raiffeisen banks owning roughly 61.2 percent of the company and the remainder held in free float.

Chief Executive Michael Höllerer stated that the bank is "seeing growing demand for crypto assets in our markets, which we are addressing with a strong, reputable partner," and said the bank remains committed to "meeting our customers' needs in the best possible way," per Bitcoin Magazine's report.

Bitpanda Enterprise provides digital asset infrastructure including investment tools, liquidity, custody, payments, stablecoins, and tokenization services to banks, fintechs, brokers, trading firms, and family offices, with an emphasis on compliance and scalability. The move positions Raiffeisen alongside other major European and North American financial institutions. BBVA, Santander's Openbank, Germany's cooperative and savings banks, SoFi, PNC, Charles Schwab, and Morgan Stanley have all either launched or announced retail crypto trading over the past 18 months, per the report.