Raiffeisen Bank International has partnered with Vienna-based crypto broker Bitpanda to offer digital asset trading to its 18 million customers across Central and Eastern Europe. Driven by growing customer demand, the group-wide agreement replaces previous market-by-market integrations with a single framework powered by Bitpanda Enterprise. The gradual rollout is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027 in Albania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, building on a successful 2024 pilot in Austria.
Raiffeisen-Bitpanda Partnership Agreement
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International announced a group-wide agreement with Vienna-based crypto broker Bitpanda on September 23, 2026, to let its network banks in Central and Eastern Europe offer digital assets to a potential customer base of 18 million
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International CEO Michael Höllerer stated that the partnership with Bitpanda addresses growing customer demand for cryptocurrency assets across the bank's markets
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International's group-wide agreement with Bitpanda replaces previous market-by-market integrations, establishing a single framework for the entire Raiffeisen Bank International group
Initial Rollout and Timeline
- ▪A Bitpanda spokesperson stated that the rollout of Bitpanda's crypto services at Raiffeisen Bank International is in its early stages and will proceed gradually based on local market and regulatory requirements
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International plans to launch cryptocurrency trading services first in Albania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia in the first half of 2027
Industry Crypto Adoption Trends
- ▪Major global banks including BBVA, Santander's Openbank, SoFi, PNC, Charles Schwab, and Morgan Stanley have launched or announced retail crypto trading over the 18 months preceding September 2026
- ▪Deutsche Bank announced on September 16, 2026, that it will hold bitcoin and ether for institutional and corporate clients, with the service going live in 2026
Raiffeisen Bank corporate structure
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International operates subsidiary banks in 11 countries across Central and Eastern Europe, serving 18.8 million customers through approximately 1,300 branches
- ▪Regional Raiffeisen banks own about 61.2 percent of Raiffeisen Bank International, which trades its shares on the Vienna Stock Exchange
Austrian regional integrations
- ▪Raiffeisen Salzburg announced on September 21, 2026, that it has offered Bitpanda access in the Mein ELBA banking app since August 2026
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank International's partnership with Bitpanda builds on a 2024 integration where Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien added Bitpanda trading to its Mein ELBA banking app in Austria
Debatable claims
- ▪Traditional bank integration of cryptocurrency undermines the decentralized ethos of digital assets
- ▪Raiffeisen Bank's partnership with Bitpanda exposes retail savers to unacceptable financial risks
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