Bank Leumi taps Galaxy to offer crypto trading in 2027

Bank Leumi, Israel's largest bank, will let customers trade bitcoin, ether and solana through its Leumi Trade app starting in early 2027, partnering with Galaxy Digital to provide the trading and custody infrastructure.

"This initiative represents a significant pillar of the bank's innovation strategy and enables us to provide customers with simple, secure, and regulated access to trading digital assets through one of the world's leading technological infrastructures," Maya Ravia, head of strategy at Bank Leumi, said. "We believe that digital assets are gradually becoming an integral part of the global financial system."

Customers of Leumi and PEPPER, its mobile digital banking arm, will buy, hold and sell the three tokens in a dedicated section of the app. GalaxyOne Institutional will handle trading and related services, while Galaxy's custody platform, formerly known as GK8, will support the bank's digital asset infrastructure. The rollout makes Leumi the first Israeli bank to offer digital asset trading directly to customers, the companies said Friday.

The partnership follows a 2022 agreement between Leumi and Paxos that never launched. Galaxy, led by Mike Novogratz, reported an $85 million net loss in the second quarter, though its digital assets business generated $66 million in adjusted gross profit, up 34 percent from the prior quarter. Galaxy shares traded at $21.38 on Friday, up about 2 percent on the day but down roughly 25 percent over the past year.

Israel received an estimated $22 billion in onchain crypto value during the 12 months ending June 2025, according to Chainalysis. Across the Middle East and North Africa, onchain activity rose 33 percent to more than $500 billion over the same period, though growth trailed other developing regions including Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The service is subject to regulatory approval, with the launch expected in early 2027. For Galaxy, the deal extends its push into bank partnerships as traditional lenders seek regulated routes into digital assets, a market drawing interest from institutions across the region. Leumi, founded more than 120 years ago, serves millions of customers across households, small businesses and large corporations in Israel.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.