EU Banks In FOMO Mode: Crypto Deals Heat Up Before Digital Euro

Major EU banks, including ING, UniCredit, CaixaBank and BBVA, are no longer content to merely talk about a digital euro: they have grown bolder and are now racing to hunt down crypto partners to launch a bank‑grade euro stablecoin in 2026, as they gear up for the European Central Bank (ECB) digital euro pilot in 2027.

Bank Stablecoin vs. Digital Euro

The ECB’s digital euro project has clearly widened the horizons of some heavyweight lenders, to the point that many of them are now betting on a different route. Through a joint venture called Qivalis, set up in Amsterdam by several major European banks, they plan to issue a MiCA‑compliant, euro‑pegged stablecoin in the second half of 2026, positioning themselves ahead of the ECB’s digital euro pilot. Rather than relying solely on the more conservative central‑bank option of the ECB‑issued CBDC, Qivalis offers a bank‑backed alternative: a fully reserved e‑money token supported by major commercial lenders, designed first and foremost for on‑chain payments, crypto trading and the settlement of tokenized assets.

A Regulated And Domestic Alternative For The EU

As outlined by Qivalis CEO Jan Sell in a recent interview with Spanish outlet CincoDías, the venture is already in advanced talks with several crypto exchanges, market makers and payment providers to distribute the token from day one. According to Sell, the consortium has expanded to 12 banks and is positioning its euro stablecoin as a regulated, MiCA‑compliant alternative to dollar‑denominated stablecoins, backed 1:1 with cash and short‑term European government debt, offering 24/7 convertibility for institutional and retail users alike.

A Broader Perspective With Crypto

Qivalis is not an isolated experiment: its existence is a paradigmatic example of how Europe’s traditional lenders are shifting their approach to digital assets. In recent years, not wanting to be left behind or lose against decentralized crypto alternatives, and under pressure from client demand and tighter regulation, large banks and savings institutions have rolled out crypto custody, trading pilots and tokenization projects, as seen by German lenders exploring crypto services or French and Italian banks backing the ECB’s digital euro plan while lobbying on costs and design.

Europe’s incumbents seem to have realized that instead of fighting on‑chain finance from the sidelines and fading into the background of new paradigms, they are better off trying to rebuild the system on their own terms

Cover image from ChatGPT, XRPUSD chart from Tradingview