“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.

According to Chainalysis, approximately $22 billion flowed into Israel through on-chain channels in the year leading up to June 2025.

The MENA region saw a 33% year-on-year growth, lower than APAC (69%) and Latin America (63%). However, analysts noted a steady rise in retail activity in the country after October 2023, with actual volumes exceeding forecasts by an average of 60.4%.

In April 2026, the Israel Capital Markets Authority issued its first license for a shekel-pegged stablecoin, with the issuer being the exchange Bits of Gold.

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