European Banks Risk Losing Customers Over Lack of Crypto Services

The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, or MiCA, became fully applicable on December 30, 2024, establishing common licensing and consumer-protection rules for digital-asset services. Traditional banks enjoy more than twice the level of trust placed in specialist platforms, giving them an advantage through existing customer relationships. Chainalysis estimates that Germany received $219 billion in crypto assets from July 2024 through June 2025, underscoring the market’s scale.

In a survey commissioned by Börse Stuttgart Digital, Marketagent polled 6,000 investors in Germany, Italy, Spain and France between August 2025 and January 2026. Results released on April 21, 2026, showed that 35% would consider switching banks for better crypto investment services, rising to 40% in Spain. While 76% still viewed regulation as inadequate and 69% considered crypto too complex, nearly half said MiCA had increased their confidence.