"The Future is Hybrid: Why Traditional Banks Must Lead the Crypto Evolution"
The digital revolution is transforming every economic sector—and financeis no exception. Cryptoassets, tokenization, and blockchain-basedtechnologies are accelerating an inevitable evolution. In this context,traditional banks face a historic opportunity: to lead this transformation bycombining their experience, credibility, and global reach with the agility andinnovation of the crypto ecosystem. The future isn’t about choosingbetween the old and the new—it’s about merging both worlds into aseamless experience.
“Seamless” integration is no longer a luxury or a differentiator—it’s the new standard.It’s not enough to simply offer crypto-related products. Clients expect a bankingexperience that enables them to manage both traditional and digital assets in a unified, intuitive, and secure way. According to a Deloitte report (2023), 64% of global banking clients would prefer to access cryptoassets through their trusted bank if it offered acomprehensive experience. This includes custody, currency conversion, tax reporting,and portfolio tracking all within a single platform.
Unlike many fintechs or crypto-native platforms, traditional banks have decades ofexperience in regulatory compliance, human relationships, and deep knowledge of theirclients. This trust is an intangible yet powerful asset. Moreover, existing technological infrastructure—though in need of adaptation—has proven resilient through multiple economic cycles. With established channels to regulators and central banks, traditional banks are uniquely positioned to implement solutions such as stablecoins or tokenized deposits.
However, these strengths must be accompanied by a profound internal transformation.Banks must adopt agile methodologies, invest in blockchain talent, and overcome technological barriers such as interoperability, decimal precision for digital assets, andon-chain settlement. A culture of innovation is required across the entire organization—from the front office to executive leadership.
BBVA in Switzerland has been a pioneer in this integration. Since 2021, it has offered custody services for Bitcoin and Ethereum, and more recently USDC, within a digital wallet that allows clients to operate both fiat and crypto assets from a single interface. All of this under the Swiss regulatory framework and in partnership with key ecosystem players such as Ripple. This approach demonstrates how a traditional bank can embrace innovation without compromising trust or security.
Banks that manage to naturally integrate digital assets into their value proposition willnot only meet the new demands of the market but also reinforce their relevance in the financial ecosystem of the future. The real challenge isn’t replicating crypto exchanges—it’s offering a regulated, trustworthy, and transparent experience that combines the best of both worlds.