RBI and Bitpanda Set Crypto Framework for 11 Markets

Raiffeisen Bank International and Bitpanda have agreed to build a shared digital-asset framework that could enable crypto services for as many as 18 million customers across 11 Central and Eastern European markets. The arrangement establishes infrastructure for local banks to use; it does not mean crypto trading is launching across the region now or that all customers will receive access. Bitpanda Enterprise will supply the technology, while individual banks in RBI’s network will decide whether to offer services, which products to make available and when to launch them. Those decisions will depend on local regulatory requirements and market conditions, according to descriptions of the agreement. No bank-by-bank schedule or confirmed list of participating launches was provided. The 18 million figure describes potential reach, not confirmed eligibility, service availability or customer uptake. RBI operates banks in 11 markets and serves more than 18 million customers, but the information provided does not define precisely how the potential-reach estimate is calculated. The framework’s actual scale will depend on decisions by individual banks.