Bradesco Raises $2B for Crypto Custody, Stablecoin Push

Banco Bradesco SA plans to raise up to 10 billion reais, roughly $2 billion, with backing from its largest investors, the bank said. The capital increase targets blockchain infrastructure, stablecoin pilots, and digital asset custody.

Bradesco, Brazil's second-largest private-sector bank by assets, has spent years assembling a digital asset strategy. In January 2025, the bank partnered with Parfin, a digital asset infrastructure firm, to pilot stablecoin-based cross-border payments and trade settlements. Reports from May 2026 indicate Bradesco is preparing to launch digital asset custody services covering both crypto assets and stablecoins.

The bank is also deeply involved in Brazil's Drex CBDC pilot program, the central bank's initiative to build a wholesale digital currency. Bradesco has been collaborating with Banco do Brasil and Itau to explore use cases like collateralized credit on blockchain rails. Its blockchain experiments date back to 2016, when it joined the R3 consortium and began running digital wallet trials.

The Parfin partnership signals the bank is building production-ready systems rather than running sandbox proofs of concept, according to people familiar with the matter. Parfin specializes in institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure, a choice that suggests Bradesco intends to move beyond experimentation.