KBC, Belgium's second-largest bank, has become the country's first to offer cryptocurrency trading services to retail investors.

PANews reported on January 16th that, according to Bitcoin Magazine, KBC Group, Belgium's second-largest bank, announced it will offer Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services to retail clients through its online investment platform Bolero, becoming the first bank in the country to offer such services. The service is scheduled to launch the week of February 16th and will operate within the regulatory framework of the EU Crypto Asset Markets Regulation (MiCA).

KBC stated that it has submitted a full notification to regulators regarding its role as a crypto asset service provider. The service will operate on an "execution-only" model, requiring customers to make their own decisions and complete a risk knowledge and experience test before trading. To mitigate fraud and money laundering risks, the platform employs a "closed-loop" model, allowing customers to buy and sell only within the Bolero platform and preventing asset transfers to external wallets or exchanges. Custody services are provided by a bank.