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, the bank announced Monday. The move consolidates its position at the forefront of financial innovation by merging its wholly owned subsidiary, Bison Digital Assets (BDA), into the bank. BDA had already received approval from the Bank of Portugal for the merger.

The development follows a path that began in 2022, when BDA became the first bank-owned Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Portugal. With MiCA now providing a clear European framework, Bison Bank is bringing digital assets into the core of its operations. Antonio Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank, said: “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. 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 positions Bison Bank to accelerate its on-chain strategy. Bison Digital Assets served approximately 275 clients in 2025 and handled traded volume of €165 million. The new CASP structure gives 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), as well as future real-world asset (RWA) tokenization solutions. For institutional users, the practical significance is that these services can now sit inside a regulated banking structure rather than alongside it, which may simplify onboarding and oversight while keeping the offering within the EU’s new crypto rulebook.

The strategy is supported by the bank’s financial position. Bison Bank ended 2025 with recurring net profit of €5 million, double the prior year, and a Common Equity Tier 1 (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.

The announcement comes as Bison Bank joins a limited group of only 30 EU banking institutions authorized to offer crypto-asset services under MiCA, the harmonized legal framework across the European Union. That places the bank among an early set of traditional lenders navigating a regime designed to standardize how crypto services are offered across member states. The bank said the regulatory clarity is expected to encourage more traditional banks to enter the digital asset sector and help accelerate the integration of cryptocurrencies into mainstream finance. By offering regulated custody, exchange and advisory services, Bison Bank said it aims to bridge traditional finance and the digital asset economy, giving institutional clients a secure and compliant gateway to crypto investments.

The bank also said its focus on stablecoins and tokenization of real-world assets could support new financial products that combine the stability of traditional assets with the efficiency of blockchain technology. As more banks follow this path, MiCA may reshape financial services delivery in Europe and make digital assets a standard offering for institutional investors.