Bison Bank Becomes Portugal's First MiCA-Regulated Crypto-Asset Service Provider

Bison Bank has become the first bank in Portugal to operate directly as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the European MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation, marking a significant milestone in the convergence of traditional finance and the digital asset economy. The bank will undertake its CASP activity through the merger of its fully owned subsidiary, Bison Digital Assets (BDA), which had already been approved by the Bank of Portugal. This move follows a journey that began in 2022, when BDA became the first bank-owned Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in the country.

"We were pioneers three years ago when we realized the future of banking would involve integrating digital assets. Now, with a clear and solid European framework like MiCA, we are bringing this area into the heart of the bank," states António Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank. "The CASP license and the merger realize our vision for the bank of the future: a single, regulated entity with the robustness of a bank and the agility of the crypto world."

The CASP license, along with the integration of BDA—which in 2025 served approximately 275 clients and handled a traded volume of €165 million—positions Bison Bank to accelerate its on-chain strategy. The new structure offers institutional clients simplified access to custody, exchange, and advisory services for crypto-assets under a bank-grade compliance and risk management framework. It also supports new products, including the recently launched EUB and USB E-money tokens (stablecoins), and future real-world asset (RWA) tokenization solutions.

The strategy is backed by the bank's financial strength. Bison Bank closed 2025 with a recurring net profit of €5 million, doubling the previous year, and a CET1 capital ratio of 38.5%, among the highest in European banking. Its leadership in digital assets was recognized with the "Portugal's Best for Digital Assets" distinction at the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2026.

Bison Bank, S.A. is a Portuguese bank providing Private Banking, Depositary Bank, Corporate Advisory, and Digital Assets services to individual and institutional clients, connecting European and global markets. Bison Digital Assets S.A. is the first Virtual Asset Service Provider licensed by the Bank of Portugal and fully owned by a Portuguese bank, offering digital asset custody and exchange services. This regulatory achievement by Bison Bank demonstrates how established financial institutions can embrace innovation while adhering to stringent regulatory standards, potentially paving the way for broader adoption of crypto-asset services across Europe.