Crypto: Kbc Bank To Launch Bitcoin And Ether Trading In Belgium Under Mica

The lender will offer crypto trading through its Bolero platform as Belgium’s MiCA rules take effect, despite no licenses yet appearing on the ESMA’s register.

KBC, one of Belgium’s largest banks, is set to roll out Bitcoin and Ether trading to retail investors next month via its own custodial solution and investment platform.

From Feb. 16, KBC customers will be able to buy and sell crypto assets through the online investment platform Bolero, the bank announced Thursday.

“This will enable self-directed investors in Belgium to invest in cryptocurrencies within a secure and fully regulated environment, a first in Belgium,” KBC said.

Launched in compliance with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), KBC’s crypto trading will operate on the bank’s proprietary custodial architecture, the announcement said.

KBC said it would be the first Belgian bank to meet MiCA requirements, and has submitted a full crypto asset service provider (CASP) notification to the competent authority to offer crypto trading services.

“By offering the opportunity to purchase and sell crypto within a regulated framework, we are making innovation concrete and accessible,” KBC Group’s chief innovation officer Erik Luts said.

KBC initially announced plans to offer Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) trading via Bolero in July 2025, pending regulatory approval that was expected by the end of the year.

Related: France flags 90 unlicensed crypto companies ahead of MiCA cutoff: Report

The bank did not specify which authority it had coordinated with, but Belgian authorities have not issued any MiCA licenses yet, according to the public register maintained by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Source: CoinTelegraph