Bank Leumi to launch cryptocurrency trading in 2027

Bank Leumi, Israel’s largest bank, has announced plans to offer cryptocurrency trading to its customers starting in early 2027. The service will allow users of both the main bank and its digital banking unit, PEPPER, to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana through the Leumi Trade investment application.

The bank has partnered with Galaxy Digital to provide the necessary infrastructure. Galaxy will supply the trading capabilities via its GalaxyOne Institutional platform and provide custody services through its Galaxy Custody infrastructure (formerly GK8). This partnership allows the bank to offer digital asset services without developing its own internal crypto systems.

The rollout is subject to approval from the Bank of Israel. This initiative follows a previous attempt by the bank in 2022 to partner with Paxos for similar services, which did not result in a customer-facing product. The move comes amid growing digital asset activity in Israel and the broader Middle East region.