Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) has broadened its partnership with Bitpanda, establishing a framework that could open digital asset services to roughly 18 million customers across Central and Eastern Europe.

The Austrian banking group announced the expanded agreement on Sept. 23. Under the arrangement, Bitpanda Enterprise will supply the underlying technology, while each of RBI's network banks will decide which crypto services to introduce and on what schedule.

The deal marks a significant step beyond the partnership's initial rollout in Austria and reflects a wider push by traditional banks to fold cryptocurrency services into established banking platforms. Within the European Union, that push now operates against the backdrop of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which created a common framework for authorizing crypto-asset services across member states.

From an Austrian Pilot to a Regional Network

The expanded framework builds on a model first introduced through Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien, which began offering crypto access within its existing banking environment in 2024 using Bitpanda's technology.

RBI now plans to extend that approach across its broader regional footprint. The group operates subsidiary banks in 11 Central and Eastern European markets and reported about 18.8 million customers at the end of June. The network includes both EU member states and markets outside the bloc, meaning the rules that apply to digital assets vary from one country to the next.

The 18 million figure represents the potential reach of the agreement rather than customers receiving crypto services immediately. According to RBI, the rollout will progress gradually and adapt to the regulatory requirements of individual markets.

Bitpanda Supplies the Infrastructure

Bitpanda Enterprise will serve as the technology layer behind the expansion. Its infrastructure supports digital asset trading and other institutional services, allowing banks to integrate crypto capabilities without building the underlying systems themselves.

Key points of the arrangement:

• RBI network banks will determine their individual crypto offerings.
• Rollouts will depend on local market and regulatory requirements.
• The framework covers RBI's Central and Eastern banking network.

The first planned launches are expected in Albania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia during the first half of 2027, according to reporting on the rollout. Each of the remaining network banks would set its own timeline under the framework's structure.

The agreement comes as European financial institutions increasingly explore regulated digital asset services. For RBI, the partnership offers a way to respond to customer demand while allowing each subsidiary to manage its own market-specific approach.

If implemented across the network, the initiative could make crypto access available through familiar banking relationships to millions of customers. However, the eventual reach, product range, and launch timing will depend on decisions by individual RBI banks and local regulatory conditions.