Israel’s Largest Bank to Launch Bitcoin Trading

Bank Leumi partners with Galaxy Digital for crypto trading.

On August 14, Israel’s Bank Leumi announced a partnership with Galaxy Digital, enabling clients of the bank and its mobile division PEPPER to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

Digital assets will be accessible through a secure section in the Leumi Trade app. According to the press release, the service will launch in early 2027.

Galaxy will provide the technological foundation, with Bank Leumi utilizing the institutional platform GalaxyOne and the custodial platform Custody Infrastructure (formerly GK8).

“This initiative is a key part of our innovation strategy. It will offer clients simple, secure, and regulated access to digital asset trading on one of the world’s best technology platforms,” said Maya Ravia, a senior executive at the financial institution.

According to her, cryptocurrencies are “gradually becoming an integral part of the global financial system.” The bank’s goal is to provide clients with the ability to engage with them within a regulated banking model.

Bank Leumi has previously attempted to enter the retail crypto segment. In March 2022, the Pepper Invest platform announced a partnership with stablecoin issuer Paxos. The aim was to launch Bitcoin and Ethereum operations with a minimum threshold of 50 shekels (~$15.5). The parties stated that the release would occur after obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, but the bank later did not report the service’s launch.