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 fully 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 journey that began in 2022, when BDA became the first bank-owned Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Portugal. Now, with a clear and solid European framework like MiCA, Bison Bank is bringing digital assets into the heart of its operations. Antonio Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank, stated, “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 a traded volume of €165 million. The new CASP 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.
This 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 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 implications of this announcement are significant for the European banking and crypto sectors. Bison Bank joins a limited group of only 30 EU banking institutions authorized to offer crypto-asset services under MiCA, which provides a harmonized legal framework across the European Union. This regulatory clarity is expected to encourage more traditional banks to enter the digital asset space, potentially accelerating the integration of cryptocurrencies into mainstream finance. By offering regulated custody, exchange, and advisory services, Bison Bank aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the digital asset economy, providing institutional clients with a secure and compliant gateway to crypto investments.
Furthermore, the bank’s focus on stablecoins and tokenization of real-world assets could pave the way for new financial products that combine the stability of traditional assets with the efficiency of blockchain technology. As more banks follow suit, the MiCA regulation may transform how financial services are delivered in Europe, making digital assets a standard offering for institutional investors.
