Survey finds Europeans favor banks with crypto

TLDR

A new Europe-wide survey finds many retail investors prefer banks that offer crypto services and are willing to switch providers to get them.

1. A survey of 6,000 investors found 35% would change their main bank for better crypto investment options, with banks trusted more than crypto-only platforms.
2. At the same time, most respondents say crypto feels complex and underregulated, though the EUs MiCA rules are already boosting confidence in regulated offerings.
3. This combination of demand and caution is pushing European banks toward offering regulated crypto trading, custody, and stablecoin products over the next few years.

Deep Dive

1. What The Survey Actually Found

Boerse Stuttgart Digital commissioned a survey of 6,000 retail investors in Germany, Italy, Spain, and France that shows 35% would switch their primary bank for superior crypto services, with Spain highest at 40 percent. A Cointelegraph writeup of the same study highlights that traditional banks are more than twice as trusted as standalone crypto platforms for providing those services, giving banks a clear reputational edge for mainstream users.

Around 25% of respondents already hold digital assets, and about 36% expect to invest again within five years, indicating persistent retail interest despite volatility.

2. Trust, Regulation, And Knowledge Gaps

The same survey reports that over 60% of participants feel poorly informed about crypto and roughly three quarters view current regulation as inadequate, reinforcing a perception of high risk. Nearly half, however, say the EUs Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) makes digital assets safer and more attractive by clarifying licensing and consumer protection rules.

This mix of curiosity and caution helps explain why people prefer bank-based access: they want exposure, but with familiar brands, deposit-like comfort, and clear recourse if something goes wrong.

3. How Banks And Crypto Markets May Respond

Surveyed investors increasingly expect their main bank to offer crypto within three years, creating commercial pressure on banks to add regulated trading, custody, and possibly staking or yield products. At the same time, large European institutions are exploring MiCA-compliant infrastructure such as euro-denominated stablecoins for settlement and treasury use, which could deepen on-chain euro liquidity while keeping user experience inside bank channels.

For crypto-native exchanges and wallets, this points to more competition around basic buy-and-hold services, but also to potential partnerships where they supply liquidity and technology behind bank-branded front ends.

Conclusion

European investors are signaling that crypto access is becoming a standard feature of retail banking rather than a separate, specialist niche. As MiCA beds in and banks roll out regulated offerings, expect more crypto exposure to be delivered through traditional financial institutions, while pure-play platforms compete on depth, asset coverage, and innovation rather than basic trust.