Main Points:
- Rapid Entry into Crypto Market: Bunq launched “Bunq Crypto” on April 29, 2025, enabling investment in over 300 cryptocurrencies.
- Geographic Rollout Strategy: Initially available in six EU countries—Netherlands, France, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belgium—with plans to expand across the EEA, the UK, and the U.S.
- Partnership with Kraken: The service is powered by Kraken, one of the world’s top fifteen centralized exchanges by volume.
- MiCA Compliance & VASP Registration: Bunq Crypto meets the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and is fully registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider.
- Strong Consumer Demand: Bunq research shows 65% of Europeans want a unified platform for banking, saving, and crypto investing.
- Regulatory Clarity as Catalyst: Recent EU regulatory developments have given banks like Bunq confidence to offer crypto services.
1. Background: Neobanking Meets Crypto Demand
In the last decade, digital challengers have disrupted traditional banking by offering seamless, low-fee, app-first financial services. Bunq, founded in 2015 in Amsterdam, has become Europe’s second-largest neobank by user count, surpassing 12.5 million customers by mid-2024, up from 9 million the previous year. Its rapid growth reflects a broader trend: consumers worldwide are increasingly comfortable with mobile-only financial platforms that integrate checking, savings, and investment tools within a single app.
At the same time, retail interest in digital assets has exploded. According to a recent European consumer survey commissioned by Bunq, 65% of respondents expressed a desire to manage traditional bank accounts and cryptocurrency investments from one interface. Until now, that vision has been hard to realize: mainstream banks largely eschewed digital assets due to regulatory uncertainty, while crypto-native platforms struggled to win mass adoption among less technical users. Bunq’s entry into the crypto space aims to bridge this divide.
2. The April 29, 2025 Launch of “Bunq Crypto”
On April 29, 2025, Bunq officially unveiled “Bunq Crypto,” offering direct in-app access to over 300 tokens, including market leaders Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and Solana (SOL). The announcement was accompanied by comments from CEO Ali Niknam, who told Cointelegraph:
“We believe that now many, many people, the large majority, are interested in crypto, and we believe that they’re interested in buying crypto through an environment that they can trust, and they can relate to and they can recognize.”
By leveraging its existing customer base and intuitive mobile interface, Bunq expects rapid adoption of the new service among its tech-savvy users. The firm has priced crypto trading fees competitively, aligning with industry averages, to further incentivize uptake.
3. Geographic Rollout and Expansion Plans
At launch, Bunq Crypto is available to users in six core EU markets:
- Netherlands
- France
- Spain
- Ireland
- Italy
- Belgium
This initial deployment mirrors Bunq’s strongest growth regions and allows the neobank to manage liquidity, compliance, and operational support efficiently. According to a PA News report, Bunq plans to extend the service throughout the European Economic Area (EEA) later in 2025, before targeting the U.K. and U.S. markets, pending licensing approvals.
4. Kraken Partnership: Technical and Regulatory Backbone
Bunq Crypto is built in partnership with Kraken, a leading centralized exchange with a global reputation for security and compliance. Under the agreement:
- Custody & Settlement: Kraken provides secure custody of digital assets, leveraging institutional-grade cold storage.
- Execution & Liquidity: Trades executed via Kraken’s order books ensure tight spreads and minimal slippage.
- Regulatory Compliance: Kraken’s existing VASP registrations and anti-money laundering infrastructure enable Bunq to comply rapidly with MiCA obligations.
This collaboration allows Bunq to bypass the complex and time-consuming process of building its own crypto trading engine, while ensuring users benefit from Kraken’s proven security protocols.
5. Navigating the MiCA Framework
The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) officially came into force in December 2024, establishing a unified rulebook for crypto-asset issuers and service providers across member states. Key MiCA provisions include:
- Transparency Requirements: Disclosure of whitepapers and risk warnings for tokens.
- Operational Integrity: Minimum capital requirements and governance standards for VASPs.
- Consumer Protections: Safeguards against conflicts of interest and custody segregation rules.
Bunq Crypto has certified full compliance with MiCA and is registered as a VASP in accordance with the law, positioning itself as one of the first incumbent financial institutions in Europe to leverage this regulatory certainty.
6. Responding to a Significant Market Demand
Bunq’s internal research highlights a pronounced gap between existing crypto platforms and user expectations. Among European consumers surveyed:
- 65% want a single platform for banking, saving, and crypto investing.
- Over 50% of current crypto investors feel that user experience and safety features on dedicated exchanges do not meet their needs.
Ali Niknam encapsulated this sentiment:
“People have been waiting for a simple, secure, and intuitive way to invest in crypto—where saving, spending, and investing all happen within one platform.”
By integrating crypto into its core app, Bunq aims to attract both existing crypto enthusiasts seeking a familiar interface and newcomers daunted by complex standalone exchanges.
7. Competitive Landscape: Revolut, N26, and Beyond
Bunq joins a growing roster of European fintechs that have recently added—or announced plans to add—crypto trading features:
- Revolut: Rolled out crypto trading in 2018 and expanded services across 30 EEA markets in November 2024.
- N26: Began offering Bitcoin and Ethereum purchases in select European countries in early 2025.
- Wirex: Provides crypto-linked debit cards and yield-bearing crypto accounts.
However, Bunq differentiates itself via its user-centric design, open API integrations, and emphasis on regulatory transparency. Unlike some digital challengers that initially offered crypto via in-house systems, Bunq’s Kraken partnership underscores its commitment to security and compliance from day one.
8. Implications for the Broader Financial Ecosystem
Bunq’s move signals a pivotal shift: traditional banking rails and crypto networks are converging. For customers, this convergence offers:
- Simplified Onboarding: No separate accounts or KYC processes—existing Bunq users can instantly access crypto.
- Unified Dashboard: Real-time portfolio tracking alongside daily banking activities.
- Streamlined Tax Reporting: Consolidated transaction histories facilitate compliance with evolving EU crypto tax guidelines.
For incumbents, Bunq’s success may accelerate similar offerings from legacy banks. Regulatory clarity under MiCA provides a safe harbor, reducing operational risks and compliance costs for established financial institutions.
9. Potential Risks and Considerations
While the integration of crypto services into neobanks offers clear advantages, users should remain aware of inherent risks:
- Market Volatility: Digital assets are highly volatile; losses can occur rapidly.
- Cybersecurity Threats: Despite robust custody solutions, no system is entirely immune to hacks.
- Regulatory Evolution: Future amendments to MiCA or national crypto laws could impact service features or fees.
Bunq addresses these concerns by embedding educational materials within its app, offering risk-profiling questionnaires, and maintaining top-tier security audits.
10. Towards an Integrated Financial Future
Bunq Crypto represents a watershed moment in European digital banking—a synthesis of traditional and emerging financial models that answers clear consumer demand for a single, secure platform encompassing all facets of personal finance. By harnessing regulatory clarity under MiCA, leveraging Kraken’s exchange infrastructure, and capitalizing on its loyal customer base, Bunq is well-positioned to drive mass adoption of digital assets among everyday users.
As Bunq extends its crypto services across the EEA and eyes the U.K. and U.S. markets, its performance will be closely watched as a bellwether for other banks contemplating similar launches. Ultimately, the fusion of banking and crypto could redefine how individuals save, spend, and invest—ushering in a new era of truly integrated financial ecosystems.
