Ripple, a blockchain-based digital payment company, has unveiled a new agreement with Spanish banking leader BBVA. The new partnership will give BBVA access to Ripple’s technology as the Spanish bank launches a service that allows retail clients to buy, hold, and store cryptocurrencies. At the same time, the move will strengthen Ripple’s foothold in Spain, paving the way for broader adoption.
Ripple To Expand Into Spain Through BBVA Deal
Ripple has officially announced a new alliance with BBVA, marking a major step in its expansion into the European financial markets. The agreement, revealed in a formal press release on September 9, 2025, will see BBVA integrate Ripple’s institutional-grade digital asset custody technology into its operations.
This move comes as the Spanish bank rolls out a crypto-asset trading and custody service for retail customers in Spain, giving them direct access to blue-chip digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. The collaboration positions Ripple as a key provider of secure and compliant infrastructure for one of Europe’s most customer-focused banks.
By using Ripple Custody, BBVA gains the ability to deliver a scalable custody service tailored to tokenized assets, ranging from mainstream cryptocurrencies to future tokenized financial products. Ripple Custody is designed to meet stringent security, operational, and regulatory demands, enabling banks to confidently offer crypto access to their customers while ensuring full compliance with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) laws.
The Managing Director of Ripple for Europe, Cassie Craddock, emphasized that MiCA has created a favorable environment for traditional financial institutions to launch digital asset services. She further noted that BBVA, known for its forward-thinking approach, is leveraging Ripple’s trusted technology to meet rising demand from its customer base. For Ripple, this partnership is a strategic entry into Spain and a continuation of its mission to bridge traditional banking and blockchain-based services across Europe.
BBVA Digital Asset Strategy Strengthens
BBVA’s adoption of Ripple’s custody solution reflects the Spanish bank’s broader strategy of embracing digital innovation. According to Francisco Maroto, BBVA’s Head of Digital Assets, the new crypto service launched in Spain builds on earlier initiatives in Switzerland and Turkey, where the bank also introduced blockchain-driven offerings.
By relying on Ripple’s technology, the Spanish bank can directly deliver an end-to-end custody service, maintaining complete control over client assets while ensuring the highest security and efficiency standards. The deal also deepens the existing collaboration between the digital asset company and the BBVA Group. Ripple already provides custody support for Garanto BBVA in Turkey and BBVA Switzerland, demonstrating that the relationship between the two companies is already well-established and evolving into new regional expansions.
Ripple’s role as a long-term infrastructure provider is further underscored by its strong regulatory standing. With over 10 years of experience in the digital asset industry and more than 60 regulatory licenses and registrations across multiple jurisdictions, the crypto payments company has built the credibility and expertise needed to support major banks like BBVA.
