EXCLUSIVE: BPCE will allow its customers to invest in crypto assets in 2025

20.12.2024
EXCLUSIVE: BPCE will allow its customers to invest in crypto assets in 2025
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Hexarq, the French bank's crypto subsidiary, has just obtained its PSAN authorisation from the Autorité des marchés financiers. It will launch its services within the Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Épargne networks from 2025.

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After maintaining a low profile for years, BPCE is set to significantly accelerate its cryptocurrency initiatives. According to our information, the French bank will enable its clients to invest in digital assets starting in 2025.

BPCE will deploy this initiative through its crypto subsidiary Hexarq, which will launch an application for Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Épargne customers. "With this service, BPCE will be able to retain assets from clients who are moving to exchange platforms and also attract new customers," explains a bank insider.

Natixis, BPCE's investment banking arm, is not currently involved in the cryptocurrency initiative. "They will remain focused on market infrastructure and financial asset tokenization," explains the same source. Natixis notably participated in November in the issuance of a 100 million euro bond by Caisse des Dépôts on the blockchain.

Launched in 2021, Hexarq has just obtained its digital asset service provider (PSAN) registration from the Financial Markets Authority (AMF). This allows it to provide custody, buying-selling, and exchange services for crypto assets.

Hexarq is the 4th company, and the 2nd bank after SG Forge, to obtain PSAN registration in France.

For its part, BPCE states that "obtaining regulatory approval does not necessarily mean that an offering will be made in 2025, given the precautions associated with this asset class, but allows us to keep all options open for any future decision."

The BPCE group is among the 10 largest banks in Europe.

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Raphaël Bloch

Raphaël Bloch is CEO and co-founder of The Big Whale, an independent market intelligence platform on digital assets serving financial market participants through editorial coverage, research, a weekly briefing, and in-person events. He co-founded The Big Whale in April 2022. At the platform, he moderates and hosts institutional events bringing together banks, asset managers, custodians, and infrastructure providers on topics including staking, on-chain yield, stablecoins, DeFi lending, and tokenisation. He has moderated panels at events hosted in partnership with Bitwise, Everstake, Gemini, Morpho, Hexarq, Coinhouse, Delubac, Franklin Templeton, and the Ethereum Foundation, held in London and Paris between late 2025 and mid-2026.

Before founding The Big Whale, Bloch worked as a reporter at Les Echos from December 2016 to March 2020, then at L'Express from March 2020 to March 2022. He also previously worked at Reuters. Since September 2022, he has held a concurrent role as Business Analyst at BFM Business. He has been active in crypto journalism since 2016. He holds degrees from emlyon and the CFJ.

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