Belgium’s second-largest bank, KBC Group, will become the first bank in the country to let everyday customers trade Bitcoin and Ethereum. The bank confirmed the move on January 15, 2026, and stated that trading services will commence during the week of February 16, 2026, through its online investment platform, Bolero.
KBC’s announcement signifies a significant milestone for cryptocurrency adoption by traditional banking institutions in Belgium. The new service will be implemented in adherence with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which is designed to establish uniform rules for digital asset services across all EU member states.
As per the plan, clients will be required to successfully complete a risk-knowledge and experience assessment before they are permitted to engage in trading activities. The platform will operate strictly on an “execution-only” basis. This means KBC will not offer any investment advice to its clients. All trades will be processed within a closed-loop system on Bolero, preventing investors from transferring their crypto assets to external wallets or exchanges.
KBC currently serves approximately 4 million users through its Bolero platform. The bank has officially filed a full Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) notification with the Belgian authorities, signaling its readiness to offer these new digital asset services.
This development follows KBC’s initial proposal in mid-2025 to offer crypto trading to its retail clients, contingent upon receiving regulatory approval. At that time, the bank had indicated its intention to allow customers to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ether directly via Bolero once all necessary permissions were secured.
Implications for Belgian Investors
The introduction of regulated cryptocurrency trading within a domestic bank could significantly alter the investment landscape for digital assets among Belgians. Historically, most retail investors in the country have relied on foreign platforms such as Binance, Coinbase, or Revolut for their cryptocurrency transactions.
By integrating crypto services into Bolero, KBC aims to provide a more secure and familiar investment avenue for individuals who already utilize the platform for traditional assets like stocks and bonds. The bank has placed a strong emphasis on investor education as a core component of the rollout, making educational materials available to assist users in understanding potential risks, such as price volatility.
This launch also reflects a broader trend occurring across Europe. Financial institutions in various countries, including Germany, have begun to offer regulated crypto trading services, often operating under MiCA or comparable regulatory frameworks. KBC’s initiative positions Belgium within this evolving financial ecosystem, although widespread adoption by other Belgian banks has not yet been observed.
In summary, the introduction of in-bank cryptocurrency trading is poised to enhance access to digital assets for retail investors, while simultaneously ensuring these activities remain within established, regulated financial environments.
CoinCodex Price Prediction for Bitcoin
In separate market analysis, CoinCodex projects Bitcoin to experience a downward trend over the next 12 months. Their baseline forecast suggests Bitcoin could reach $84,737 by January 11, 2027, starting from a current value of $95,333. This projected movement implies an 11.1% decline. The model's projection line indicates a general downward trend throughout much of 2026, before stabilizing towards the end of the forecast period.
The forecast also outlines specific upper and lower bounds for the upcoming year. CoinCodex has set a predicted high of $105,000, suggesting that the model still accounts for the possibility of a rebound to six-figure levels. However, the projected trajectory indicates that such strength is expected to be temporary, with a softer price slope resuming thereafter.
On the downside, CoinCodex places a predicted low of $74,425. This figure defines the potential risk range should declines become more pronounced. The forecast line tends to hover in the lower $80,000s during 2026 before leveling off, which implies that the model anticipates Bitcoin’s price to spend more time below its current level than above it as the year progresses.