Santander Enters Cryptocurrency World: Launches Trading in Germany, plans to Expand to Spain

Santander Enters Cryptocurrency World: Launches Trading in Germany, plans to Expand to Spain

Large European banks are starting to actively engage in the cryptocurrency business, and Santander is no exception. Openbank, a digital bank part of the Spanish group Grupo Santander, has announced the launch of cryptocurrency trading in Germany and plans to expand the service to Spain soon. The move reflects the growing interest of clients in digital assets and strengthens Santander's position in the market for innovative financial products.

Expanding the offering in Europe with an emphasis on integration and regulation

The new service allows Openbank clients to trade cryptocurrencies directly within their existing platform, eliminating the need to use external exchanges or third-party platforms. Santander emphasizes that trading is set up in accordance with the European regulation MiCA (Regulation of European Markets in Crypto Assets), which brings greater security and clear rules for users.

According to Cota de Monteverde, head of cryptocurrency at Santander Group, this move is a response to significant interest and demand from customers. “Our clients are actively looking for ways to integrate digital assets into their investment portfolios, and we want to be their reliable partner,” he said.

Plans to expand to Spain and other innovations

Santander plans to make crypto trading available in Spain in the coming weeks. In addition, the bank is planning to expand its offering with tokens and other features, such as cryptocurrency conversion directly on the platform. These extensions are intended to make it easier for clients to access digital assets and strengthen their investment options.

Santander and its long history of innovation in the crypto world

This move is not Santander’s first attempt to get involved in the cryptocurrency space. In 2018, it launched the One Pay FX payment application based on the Ripple platform, which allowed customers to make international transfers on the same day in countries such as Spain, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Recently, the bank has also considered entering the market with stablecoins or tokens pegged to the dollar and the euro, indicating its interest in a wider range of digital assets.

German banks gear up for crypto revolution

Santander’s move is part of a larger trend in Germany, where the largest banks are actively preparing to integrate cryptocurrencies into their services. DZ Bank launched a crypto pilot program in September 2024 at 700 cooperative banks, using the infrastructure of Börse Stuttgart Digital. Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, announced plans to launch a digital asset management service in 2026 in partnership with Bitpanda and Taurus, and is also considering its own stablecoins or fiat-pegged tokens.

Other big players on the crypto path

Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe also plans to enable its nearly 50 million customers to trade cryptocurrencies via its Sparkasse app, supported by DekaBank and Börse Stuttgart Digital, by mid-2026.

Global trend: banks around the world are opening up to the crypto world

Similar steps are being taken in the USA, where after the GENIUS Act was passed in July 2025, major banks such as JPMorgan, Citigroup and Bank of America began to explore the possibilities of issuing stablecoins and developing retail crypto services.

What awaits us next?

Santander’s entry into the world of cryptocurrencies is a clear signal that traditional banks are gradually accepting digital assets as part of their offering. With growing client interest and clear regulatory frameworks, cryptocurrencies can be expected to become a common part of banking services in Europe and beyond. We are looking forward to a period when digital assets will become a standard part of the financial world, and banks will play a key role in their safe and efficient implementation.

*This is not an investment recommendation.

The Coingarage Team