ING Deutschland Offers Free Crypto Access as MiCA Spurs Bank Rush
Starting February 2, ING Deutschland is allowing its 3.2 million brokerage customers to buy crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) with no order fees on investments above €1,000, plus the option to create recurring savings plans. By treating crypto exposure like an index fund and removing trading fees, the bank has created a low-friction on-ramp for retail investors through an established institutional channel.
The timing follows the EU's Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) framework, which reduced legal uncertainty and appears to have triggered a wider bank rush into crypto services across Europe. Greater distribution through trusted banks could normalize retail allocations to regulated crypto instruments and boost flows, while also raising questions about custody, product transparency and how incumbents will compete with specialist crypto platforms.