Spanish Bank BBVA Advises Wealthy Clients to Consider Bitcoin Investment

The recommendation was publicly disclosed by Philippe Meyer, head of digital and blockchain solutions at BBVA Switzerland, during the DigiAssets conference in London. He explained that since September 2024, the bank has actively guided select private clients toward crypto exposure, adjusting allocation levels based on their individual risk appetites. Conservative investors are advised to consider a 3% position, while risk-tolerant clients may increase that to as much as 7%.

Meyer emphasized that even modest exposure to Bitcoin can significantly enhance portfolio performance. “If you look at a balanced portfolio, if you introduce 3%, you already boost the performance at 3% you are not taking a huge risk,” he stated during the event.

BBVA’s involvement with digital assets isn’t new. Its Swiss unit has offered trading and custody services for Bitcoin and Ether since 2021. However, until now, the bank had largely refrained from formal investment advice on crypto. That posture changed with growing institutional demand and a clearer regulatory landscape in the European Union.

In March 2025, BBVA received authorization from Spain’s securities regulator, the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), to roll out crypto trading services through its mobile app. The offering includes both Bitcoin and Ether and is initially being made available to a limited group of clients, with broader access planned over time.

This regulatory breakthrough was made possible under the EU’s newly implemented Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which took full effect earlier this year. MiCA has created a harmonized set of rules across the bloc, giving banks like BBVA the confidence to expand into digital asset services while maintaining compliance.

BBVA’s cryptocurrency initiative has already extended to Turkey through its subsidiary Garanti BBVA, which launched crypto custody and trading services in early 2025. These multi-jurisdictional offerings reflect BBVA’s broader digital strategy and growing comfort with blockchain-based financial products.

The timing of BBVA’s crypto advisory push coincides with a strong rebound in crypto markets. Bitcoin reached new all-time highs in May 2025, supported by rising institutional interest and increasing integration with traditional financial infrastructure. While this particular price milestone was not referenced by BBVA itself, it underscores the context in which the bank is expanding its services.

Industry trends also suggest growing momentum. Deutsche Börse’s Clearstream division announced in March it would begin offering custody for Bitcoin and Ether, joining a wave of major financial players entering the space. Global custodians like BNY Mellon and State Street have also rolled out similar services, helping to normalize crypto assets in institutional portfolios.

While BBVA is one of the first large European banks to publicly recommend crypto allocations, others may follow suit as MiCA continues to reshape the regulatory playing field. Even so, broader industry adoption is likely to remain gradual, given persistent concerns about volatility and the need for robust custody solutions.

Rather than silo crypto from traditional wealth management, BBVA is integrating digital assets into its core platform. In Spain, crypto services will be delivered through the same mobile app used for conventional banking, allowing clients to manage euros and crypto side by side.

This integration marks a new phase for BBVA, which has spent over a decade investing in digital transformation. The bank’s foray into crypto-backed investment advice may ultimately serve as a blueprint for how traditional financial institutions can responsibly engage with decentralized finance.

By encouraging clients to adopt a limited yet strategic crypto exposure, BBVA is not just responding to client demand—it is helping define the next stage of mainstream digital asset adoption in Europe’s banking sector.