Israel's largest bank plans bitcoin and ether trading via Galaxy Digital, pending regulatory approval. Over 25% of Israelis already in crypto. Launch targeted early 2027.
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Bank Leumi, Israel's largest commercial bank, plans to offer cryptocurrency trading through its existing investment platform, pending a green light from the Bank of Israel. The service would let customers buy and sell bitcoin and ether, with solana also on the list, directly inside the Leumi Trade app.
Galaxy Digital, the Nasdaq-listed crypto firm, is providing the trading and custody infrastructure under a white-label arrangement. Customers will see only the Leumi brand. Galaxy's GK8 technology, acquired in 2023 for $44 million, keeps key-signing functions offline. That security detail matters when a bank tries to convince regulators the product has been thought through.
The service would also be accessible through Leumi's mobile arm, PEPPER. Fees, trading limits and the final asset list have not been disclosed. The bank expects to launch early in 2027, but that timeline depends on a final decision from the central bank.
Israel's banking supervisors have published draft rules that would make it easier to transfer funds from licensed virtual-asset service providers. The Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority has also tightened its own rules for crypto firms operating in the country. The thinking inside the industry is that tighter oversight of crypto companies gives banks more confidence to work alongside them. Customer education programs are also listed as a prerequisite, and they remain unfinished.
The market context explains why Leumi is moving now. Over a quarter of Israelis have engaged with digital assets recently, according to surveys. Chainalysis data shows Israel received about $22 billion in on-chain crypto value over the year ending mid-2025. That is a large user base sitting outside the traditional banking system, and Leumi wants to pull some of it in-house.
No other major Israeli bank has announced a comparable service. Bank Hapoalim, Mizrahi-Tefahot and Bank Discount have not made similar plans public. If Leumi gets approval and launches successfully, that competitive dynamic could shift quickly. Banks watch each other. A regulated crypto offering from the country's biggest institution would be hard for rivals to ignore.
The white-label structure with Galaxy keeps Leumi in control of the customer relationship. Leumi sets the terms, manages compliance and keeps the experience consistent with its existing platforms. Galaxy gets a major institutional client and a foothold in Israeli retail banking. Both sides have incentive to make it work.
Still, the unknowns dominate. Fees are not set. The asset list could change. Regulatory approval could come with conditions that reshape the product entirely. Leumi's crypto plans are real, the bank said, but they are also very much a proposal right now. The Bank of Israel holds the deciding vote.
For related coverage, see Bank Leumi Taps Galaxy for Bitcoin, Ether and Solana Trading.
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