Openbank, the digital banking arm of Santander, has launched a new cryptocurrency trading service for its customers in Germany. This allows users to buy, sell, and hold five major cryptocurrencies—Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, Polygon, and Cardano—directly within their Openbank accounts, alongside their traditional investments like stocks and ETFs. The integration of crypto trading into the existing investment platform means customers no longer need to transfer funds to external exchanges, streamlining their asset management under one secure, regulated banking umbrella.

The launch operates under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which aims to standardize investor protection and ensure security across the crypto industry in the EU. Openbank’s move reflects growing demand from clients for digital assets and marks another step by a prominent European bank to expand into crypto services.

Transaction fees for crypto trades are set at 1.49% per operation, with a minimum fee of one euro. There are no custody fees, making the service competitive among digital banking peers. Over the coming months, Openbank plans to broaden its crypto offerings, including adding more tokens and enabling direct crypto-to-crypto conversions. An expansion to the Spanish market is already planned and will roll out soon.

This new service showcases Openbank’s ongoing commitment to digital innovation. It expands a comprehensive suite of investment products that already includes automated portfolio management, access to thousands of global equities, mutual funds, ETFs, and a recently launched AI-powered brokerage platform.