Bunq Bets Big on Crypto as Digital Assets Surge

Dutch neobank throws open the gates to Bitcoin and altcoins—just as markets hit fever pitch.

Bullish move or bandwagon jumping? Bunq’s crypto pivot lands amid a speculative frenzy that’s making even Wall Street blush.

Pro tip: Watch those ’platform fees’—the real bull market is always in financial middlemen.

In brief

• bunq launches crypto in its banking app.
• Simplified purchase of 350+ cryptos via Kraken.
• Euro deposits protected up to €100,000.

By bringing crypto inside its mainstream banking interface, bunq promises a single login for euros, savings spaces, MasterCard cards and digital assets. Liquidity and custody are provided by, one of the sector’s oldest exchanges, while bunq remains the account-holding institution. This structure means that Dutch deposit-protection rules—up to—apply to the fiat leg of every transaction.

How bunq Crypto works

From the user’s point of view, the process is deliberately streamlined. After identity verification—which bunq says still takes less than a minute—the investor selects a crypto, enters the desired amount and swipes a button to buy one of thelisted cryptocurrencies. The proceeds of a sale are temporarily locked by afor 24 hours, aiming to thwart impulse withdrawals and fraud.

Fees are tied to the subscription: theplan chargesper trade; theplan atper month cuts this rate to. bunq is also offering ato the firstusers who purchase at leastof crypto.

The demand for an all-in-one dashboard

A survey commissioned by bunq in early 2025 shows thatof European citizens WOULD prefer to manage daily payments, savings and crypto investments in a single app. More than half of respondents describe existing exchanges as too complex or insufficiently secure.

Beyond the crypto feature

The launch of the “crypto feature” is part of the bank’s broad. Alongside the crypto exchange function, bunq introduced:

• bunq Deals, permanently embedding partner discounts (from LEGO, Expedia, etc.) in the app’s payment screen;
• Pocket Money, an automatic allowance tool for children’s accounts;
• An integrated eSIM option for travelers who need data without a physical SIM card;
• A cashback feature that now pays up to 1 % on purchases for business accounts (personal accounts already earned up to 2 %).

Quick practical guide

Opening a bunq account always starts with a selfie and a scan of a passport or ID card. Once approved, the user funds the account via SEPA transfer or debit card, navigates to thetab, chooses an asset—Bitcoin and ethereum logically dominate volumes—and confirms. bunq quotes an average time to first purchase of about, including funding. Real-time price alerts can be activated from the same screen, and crypto-specific spending limits can be set in themenu.

The advantages—and the limits

For retail investors wishing to practice DCA or react quickly to market moves, the bank-integrated crypto ramp removes the friction of moving money between institutions. Custody, however, remains with a third party;.

“As a bank, we have extensive experience detecting scams, and we use advanced technologies such as AI to keep our users safe. By integrating cryptocurrencies into our platform, we will be even more effective at spotting suspicious activity. Every wallet will be fully protected, giving users a simple and secure way to start investing in cryptocurrencies.”

The(granted when you buy €100 of crypto) adds an extra perk, but it is capped atand reserved for residents of the six launch markets.

Trading cryptocurrencies involves a risk of capital loss. bunq Crypto is “powered by Kraken.” Offer limited to residents of France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Belgium. The €10 BTC bonus is reserved for the first 10,000 users who purchase at least €100 of crypto. Spreads and processing fees may apply depending on the plan. This is not investment advice or crypto-asset advice. Buying, selling or exchanging crypto-assets carries the risk of partial or total capital loss. VIRTUAL currencies, real risks. In crypto, risk is the only guarantee.

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