Portuguese
Bank Restricts Crypto Transfers Citing Regulatory Pressure
One of Portugal’s largest banks, Banco de Investimentos Globais (BiG), has
blocked fiat transfers directed at cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта platforms, drawing attention
to the country’s changing stance on crypto-related activities.
As of now, this seems to be an independent decision from BiG, and other banks
have not made any similar announcements.
Is Portugal’s Crypto Stance Changing?
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As MiCA came into effect over a week ago in the EU• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз » .eu
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз, the crypto community hoped
that regulation would become clearer in the region – for better or worse. Yet,
regulatory clarity is still at the heart of this controversial decision from
BiG.
BiG cited compliance with directives from the European Central Bank• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Европейский центральный банк (ЕЦБ)
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Со » Совет Европы » Европейский центральный банк (ЕЦБ), the
European Banking Authority, and the Bank of Portugal as the rationale behind
its decision.
Also, the bank highlighted its commitment to meeting national anti-money
laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations as part of this policy
shift.
“Crypto is inevitable, banks are dead, and these abuses of power will only
redpill more ppl into moving their wealth on-chain,” a Portuguese crypto
entrepreneur, José Maria Macedo, wrote about BiG’s decision.
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While BiG has taken this restrictive stance, other major Portuguese banks,
such as Caixa Geral de Depósitos, continue to facilitate fiat transfers to
crypto platforms. This suggests that BiG’s approach has not yet become a
standard across Portugal s banking sector.
Portugal, once considered a crypto tax haven , has gradually shifted towards
tighter regulatory oversight. In 2023, the government introduced a 28% capital
gains tax on short-term cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта holdings. This decision signaled a
departure from its earlier laissez-faire approach.
“While other Portuguese banks are still crypto-friendly, BiG’s standing alone
with this. It’s hitting right after Portugal s new crypto taxes—28% on
short-term gains—which just shook things up. Looks like more people are gonna
turn to DeFi now, since BiG’s pushing ‘em that way,” Mario Nawfar wrote on X
(formerly Twitter).
BiG’s decision reflects broader regulatory trends across Europe• Физико-географические регионы » Европа, where the
Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) aims to create a unified framework
for digital asset operations in the European Union• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз.
However, attitudes toward crypto vary widely across EU• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз » .eu
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз member states.
Other EU• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз » .eu
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз Countries Tell a Different Story
In the Czech Republic, the governor of the national bank recently proposed
adding Bitcoin• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Bitcoin to the country’s foreign exchange reserves. He described it as
a diversification strategy rather than a major investment.
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In France• Франция, banking giant BPCE plans to offer Bitcoin• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Bitcoin and other crypto services
in 2025 through its subsidiary Hexarq, in compliance with MiCA regulations.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на De » Deutsche Bank in Germany• Германия is introducing a Layer-2 solution to
tackle compliance issues for public blockchains.
At the same time, Switzerland has taken a distinctive approach. In 2024, the
Swiss National Bank• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на на » Национальный банк Швейцарии expressed a preference for tokenized assets over central
bank• Экономика » Финансы » Государственный банк » Центральные банки digital currencies (CBDCs) .
The Swiss banking sector has embraced crypto more openly, with St. Galler
Kantonalbank starting Bitcoin• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Bitcoin and Ethereum• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Ethereum trading services for clients in
2023.
BiG’s restrictions stand out in contrast to these broader European trends. The
recently implemented MiCA framework offers banks across the EU• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз » .eu
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ев » Евросоюз assurance that
only compliant cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта platforms will operate in the region.
This makes BiG’s decision to curtail Portugal’s crypto transactions an
exception, as many financial institutions in Europe• Физико-географические регионы » Европа are increasingly exploring
opportunities in digital assets.
Best crypto platforms in Europe• Физико-географические регионы » Европа | January 2025
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Best crypto platforms in Europe• Физико-географические регионы » Европа | January 2025
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