January 16 — Per Bitcoin Magazine, Belgium’s second-largest bank KBC Group announced it will offer Bitcoin and Ethereum trading to retail customers via its online investment platform Bolero, making it the first bank in the country to provide such services. The service is set to launch the week of February 16 and will operate under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework. KBC noted it has filed a full notification with regulators to act as a crypto asset service provider. The service will follow an “execution-only” model, meaning customers must make their own trading decisions and pass a risk knowledge and experience test prior to trading. To mitigate fraud and money laundering risks, the platform will use a closed-loop system: customers can only buy and sell crypto on Bolero, cannot transfer assets to external wallets or exchanges, and the bank will provide custody services for their holdings.
