Israel's largest bank launches Galaxy cryptocurrency trading, supporting BTC, ETH, SOL

National Bank of Israel joins forces with Galaxy Digital to bring cryptocurrency trading into mobile banking apps

Bank Leumi is working with Galaxy Digital to launch cryptocurrency trading services in its banking apps. The move aims to expand digital asset services from institutional users to mainstream retail finance. The service is expected to go online in early 2027, when customers can buy, hold and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana directly through National Bank's trading interface.

National Bank said that customers of the bank and its Pepper mobile banking division will be able to use these three cryptocurrencies in a dedicated section within the Leumi Trade app. Both sides also said this was the first time a bank of Israel had launched such a service and detailed how Galaxy would provide transaction capabilities and custody support.

Key Points

National Bank and Galaxy Digital plan to provide cryptocurrency transactions for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana through the Leumi Trade app. According to the announcements of both parties, the service launch time will be early 2027. The GalaxyOne Institutional platform will be used for transactions and related services, while Galaxy's hosting infrastructure will support the service. Bank Mineon said it will become the first Israeli bank to offer digital asset transactions to retail customers.

National Bank introduces cryptocurrency trading into retail applications

Under the agreement announced last Friday, National Bank will allow customers access to the markets of three major digital assets-Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana-through a dedicated section of the Leumi Trade app. This feature is designed around three common user actions: buy, hold and sell.

Min Bank views the integration as a milestone for the Israeli banking industry and said it expects to become the first Israeli bank to provide digital asset trading services to its customers. The bank also highlighted its customer base, noting that retail and business operations divisions serve millions of customers.

For market participants, this development is noteworthy because it shows that regulated banks are continuing to build distribution channels for cryptocurrencies, rather than just being limited to brokers or native crypto platforms. Although the announcement did not elaborate on the specific user experience and registration process, the "through banking apps" approach marks a major shift in the way retail cryptocurrency services are discovered and obtained.

Galaxy provides trading and hosting infrastructure

This cooperation relies on two pillars of the Galaxy platform. National Bank said it will use the GalaxyOne Institutional platform for transactions and related services. In terms of hosting and digital asset infrastructure, both parties said Galaxy's hosting platform (formerly GK8) will provide the technical foundation for the service.

This separation is important from a risk and operational perspective. Trading systems and custody systems typically require different control, reporting and security tools, and this announcement indicates that National Bank will leverage Galaxy's existing infrastructure rather than build a complete system internally. For investors and users focusing on the space, this approach is often associated with faster deployment times and more consistent organization-level operating standards.

However, some key details remain unclear ahead of launch-such as whether the service will have specific regional restrictions, what user quotas or compliance requirements will need to be met, and how the platform will handle order routing and settlement. These factors may affect customer needs and operational risk management after the service is launched.

Why is timing and partner structure important?

The target time for early 2027 mentioned in the announcement means that there is still a long time for Guolin Bank's services to be online, which provides time for the bank to complete integration, compliance procedures and security hardening. From an editorial perspective, this time span also reminds us that bank-led cryptocurrency products often progress more slowly than native crypto services, especially if custody, reporting, and regulatory frameworks need to be coordinated.

Galaxy Digital's role as a technology and liquidity partner also highlights how large cryptocurrency companies are increasingly positioning themselves as infrastructure providers for traditional finance. These collaborations are not aimed at establishing independent consumer exchanges, but rather at transforming access to the crypto market into a function within existing banking channels.

This shift may be important for popularization. Banking applications usually have mature customer registration, payment channels and support processes. If National Bank's services run smoothly and reliably, it will help reduce barriers for mainstream users to access major cryptocurrencies, especially those who prefer interfaces familiar to regulated banks.

Galaxy's recent performance highlights the background of fluctuations

The announcement comes as Galaxy reports challenges to its overall business. Galaxy posted a net loss of $85 million in the second quarter, mainly due to falling digital asset prices. Despite the net loss, Galaxy's digital assets division achieved adjusted gross profit of $66 million, a 34% month-on-month increase.

This context is important because it suggests that the cooperation is taking place in a context where the direction of the crypto market may affect profitability. Even so, Galaxy continues to report positive adjusted gross profit in its digital asset business, suggesting that trading and Infrastructure services may remain relatively resilient during the downturn-especially as counterparties and institutional users continue to operate.

For readers following Galaxy's overall strategy, the National Bank transaction strengthens what the company has been pursuing for some time: leveraging institutional infrastructure and marketing services to acquire distribution partners. Galaxy Digital was founded and led by Mike Novogratz and began trading on Nasdaq in May 2025 under the ticker symbol GLXY.

What is worth paying attention to next

Given the launch time in early 2027, the most important developments for customers and the market will be regulatory approvals, product design details within Leumi Trade, and how Galaxy's trading and custody components are integrated to provide a bank-level user experience. Until then, investors should pay attention to other partner announcements and any operational disclosures to understand how National Bank plans to expand crypto access while managing custody, compliance and liquidity requirements.