Raiffeisen Bank International is expanding its partnership with Bitpanda, creating a framework that could bring digital asset services to around 18 million customers across Central and Eastern Europe.
The Austrian banking group announced the agreement on Sept. 23. Bitpanda Enterprise will provide the underlying infrastructure, while RBI’s network banks will decide which crypto services to offer and when to launch them.
The expansion marks a significant step beyond the partnership’s initial Austrian rollout. It also reflects growing efforts by traditional banks to bring cryptocurrency services into established banking platforms.
From Austria to Central and Eastern Europe
The partnership builds on a model first introduced through Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien. The Austrian bank began offering crypto access through its existing banking environment in 2024, using Bitpanda’s technology.
RBI now plans to extend that approach across its broader regional network. 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 18 million figure represents the potential reach of the agreement rather than customers receiving crypto services immediately. RBI said 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.
• 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 European 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.
The agreement comes as European financial institutions increasingly explore regulated digital asset services. For RBI, the partnership provides 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.
