BBVA has chosen Ripple to power its crypto custody services in Spain, signaling a major step toward regulated digital asset offerings in Europe.
Key Takeaways
- BBVA will use Ripple Custody technology to support crypto storage for retail and institutional customers in Spain.
- This move aligns with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, providing legal clarity for digital finance.
- Ripple’s custody platform helps financial institutions offer in-house, secure storage without third-party custodians.
- The partnership expands Ripple’s existing deals with BBVA in Switzerland and Turkey, further deepening its European footprint.
What Happened?
BBVA, one of Spain’s largest banks, has expanded its partnership with Ripple to launch a compliant crypto custody service in Spain. The integration of Ripple Custody into BBVA’s digital infrastructure comes as the bank scales its retail crypto services, including Bitcoin and Ether trading, under Europe’s new regulatory framework.
Ripple Custody 🤝 @BBVA 🇪🇸
— Ripple (@Ripple) September 9, 2025
We’re expanding our partnership with @BBVA, bringing our institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to Spain: https://t.co/28Mkejn1AH
BBVA is responding to growing customer demand for crypto assets, with Ripple providing a secure and…
BBVA Steps Up Digital Finance With Ripple Custody
Spain’s BBVA is taking a significant leap into crypto by integrating Ripple Custody, a secure platform for storing digital assets and tokenized securities. This technology will allow the bank to deliver scalable, compliant crypto services directly to customers.
- Ripple Custody provides in-house custody tools, letting banks manage digital assets securely without outsourcing.
- BBVA’s adoption aligns with the broader European shift toward regulated crypto offerings, driven by the MiCA framework.
- The platform enables both institutional and retail asset management, ensuring operational control and regulatory compliance.
Francisco Maroto, BBVA’s head of digital assets, stated that the new setup allows BBVA to “directly provide an end-to-end custody service” with the kind of security customers expect from a leading financial institution.
A MiCA-Aligned Move in a Growing Market
The full implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation across the European Union has created a more certain environment for financial institutions. Under these rules, BBVA can confidently offer secure crypto services that meet legal and operational standards.
- MiCA came into effect in December 2024, with a transitional period until July 2026 to help banks adjust.
- With this legal clarity, BBVA is among the first major banks in Spain to publicly commit to in-house crypto custody.
Ripple Deepens Banking Partnerships in Europe
Ripple’s technology has already been adopted by Garanti BBVA in Turkey and BBVA Switzerland, and this latest move into Spain marks a strategic continuation of that trend. With more than 60 regulatory licenses globally, Ripple positions itself as a go-to provider for custody services in regulated markets.
- The custody platform was developed following Ripple’s acquisition of Metaco, a Swiss crypto custody firm.
- Ripple Custody has over a decade of deployment history, giving it strong credibility in institutional settings.
This shift also reflects a broader trend in traditional finance, where banks are moving away from third-party solutions and choosing integrated, secure platforms they can control directly.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
In my experience watching how banks approach crypto, this is the kind of partnership that really moves the industry forward. BBVA is not just dipping its toes into digital assets. They are committing fully and doing it the smart way with regulation in mind and full control over their infrastructure. I found Ripple’s approach, especially post-Metaco acquisition, to be one of the few genuinely enterprise-ready custody solutions out there. Spain is becoming a key market for digital finance, and this move cements BBVA as a pioneer.
