Belgian bank KBC allows Bitcoin trading for retail clients in a first for the country

KBC Group, Belgium’s second-largest bank, will become the first bank in the country to offer digital-asset trading services to retail investors.

According to Bitcoin Magazine, a digital-asset focused outlet, on the 16th (Korea time), KBC plans to begin offering Bitcoin (BTC) trading to retail investors starting Feb. 16 via its online investment platform, “Bolero.” KBC said it has “submitted a notification as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) to the competent supervisory authority,” adding that it will provide a service “in line with the European Union (EU)’s MiCA regulations.”

Erik Luts, KBC’s Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), said, “By offering opportunities to trade digital assets within a regulated framework, we aim to make innovation more tangible and accessible,” calling it “an expression of our commitment to continue playing our role as an innovative company amid a rapidly changing market environment.”

KBC’s digital-asset trading service will initially support trading only in Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH). Before trading, clients must pass a test assessing whether they understand risks such as sharp price swings and the possibility of losing their entire principal.

KBC also cited demographic shifts at home as a backdrop to the launch. According to the bank, about 45% of Belgians in their 30s already invest in digital assets, and about 60% of Bolero clients are under 40. The company added that “Bitcoin” also ranks among the platform’s top search terms.