USDBank Leumi Plans Crypto Trading With Galaxy
Bitcoin, Ether and Solana would be offered through Leumi Trade, subject to regulatory approval
TL;DR
- Bank Leumi plans to offer Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading directly through its Leumi Trade investment platform.
- Galaxy will provide institutional trading and custody infrastructure for the proposed service.
- The launch remains subject to Bank of Israel approval after an earlier Leumi crypto initiative failed to reach the market.
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Bank Leumi, Israel’s largest bank, plans to let customers buy, hold and sell Bitcoin, Ether and Solana directly through its Leumi Trade investment app, with Galaxy providing the trading and custody infrastructure. The bank announced the initiative on August 13, 2026, targeting a launch in early 2027, but the service remains subject to approval from the Bank of Israel.
The planned offering would also cover customers of PEPPER, Leumi’s digital banking arm. Crypto trading would be available through a dedicated section of Leumi Trade, allowing customers to access digital assets through the same platform used for traditional investments rather than transferring funds to an external crypto exchange.
Galaxy confirmed the partnership on August 14, 2026. GalaxyOne Institutional, its platform for banks and asset managers, will provide the trading infrastructure, while Galaxy Custody Infrastructure, formerly known as GK8, will supply the technology used to safeguard customer assets.
The service will be custodial, meaning customers would trade and hold their digital assets through the bank-backed platform rather than managing their own private keys or maintaining a separate cryptocurrency wallet. Leumi has not provided further detail on whether access will differ between its main banking customers and PEPPER users.
Maya Ravia, Leumi’s head of strategy, said digital assets are becoming an increasingly integral part of the global financial system. Galaxy Israel CEO Lior Lamesh said banks moving early into digital assets could help define finance’s shift toward open, programmable infrastructure.
The companies did not disclose commercial terms, trading fees or customer eligibility requirements for the planned service.
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Leumi Revives an Earlier Crypto Banking Plan
Leumi has pursued a regulated crypto offering before. In March 2022, PEPPER announced an agreement with Paxos to offer Bitcoin and Ether trading through Pepper Invest. That service was designed to let customers buy, hold and sell the two assets without maintaining their own crypto wallets.
The earlier product was also subject to regulatory approval and did not reach the market as announced. The latest plan changes both the infrastructure provider and product scope: Galaxy replaces Paxos, Solana joins Bitcoin and Ether as a supported asset, and the service moves from Pepper Invest into Leumi Trade.
If the new offering receives regulatory approval and launches, Leumi says it would become the first Israeli bank to provide direct digital-asset trading through its banking infrastructure. The Bank of Israel remains the final regulatory hurdle, making the proposed rollout provisional until approval is granted.
The renewed push comes as cryptocurrency ownership already has a substantial foothold in Israel. A January 2026 survey by Geocartography found that 21% of Israeli adults held cryptocurrency. Many of those users already rely on crypto exchanges and other platforms, while Leumi’s proposed service would allow customers to trade through their bank and keep custody within an institutional platform.
For customers who prefer to keep traditional investments and digital assets under one provider, the service could also eliminate the need to move funds repeatedly between a bank account and an external exchange.
FAQ
What cryptocurrencies would Bank Leumi support?
Bitcoin, Ether and Solana.
Who will provide the trading infrastructure?
GalaxyOne Institutional will handle the trading infrastructure.
Who will provide custody technology?
Galaxy Custody Infrastructure, formerly GK8.
What must happen before the service launches?
The Bank of Israel must approve the planned offering.
This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.
