Bison Bank has made history by becoming the first bank in Portugal to operate directly as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the European MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation. This move, announced on July 29, 2026, consolidates the bank's position at the forefront of financial innovation and bridges traditional finance with the digital asset economy.
The CASP activity will be undertaken through the merger of its fully owned subsidiary, Bison Digital Assets (BDA), which has already been approved by the Bank of Portugal. This follows a journey that began in 2022, when BDA became the first bank-owned Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Portugal. António 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." He added that the CASP license and the merger realize the bank's vision for the future: a single, regulated entity with the robustness of a bank and the agility of the crypto world.
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. Bison Bank's CASP license, along with the integration of BDA—which in 2025 served approximately 275 clients and handled a traded volume of €165 million—positions the bank to accelerate its on-chain strategy.
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 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 significance of this development extends beyond Bison Bank. By joining a limited group of 30 EU banking institutions offering crypto-asset services under the new legal framework, Bison Bank is helping to shape the future of European banking. The MiCA regulation provides a clear and solid framework for crypto-assets, which is expected to increase institutional participation and investor confidence. For the industry, this signals a growing integration of digital assets into mainstream finance, potentially leading to more banks following suit. For clients, it means access to regulated, secure, and innovative financial products that combine the stability of traditional banking with the opportunities of the digital asset economy.
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.
