A recent survey by crypto investment platform Bitpanda has revealed a widening gap between investor interest in cryptocurrencies and the services currently offered by European financial institutions.
The study, which polled 10,000 retail and business investors across 13 European countries, indicates that investor appetite for digital assets continues to increase while institutional offerings remain limited.
Institutional Hesitancy Versus Market Opportunity
According to the findings, more than 40% of business investors surveyed already hold digital currency assets, with an additional 18% planning to invest soon.
However, just 19% of financial institutions currently provide digital asset products. This represents a significant 30% mismatch between actual digital currency engagement among clients and the perception of demand among banks.
While over 80% of surveyed banks acknowledge the importance of digital currency in the future financial ecosystem, most are still hesitant to implement corresponding services.
Only 19% of these institutions currently offer crypto-related services, and 18% are considering expansion, particularly in areas like digital currency transfers.
Bitpanda’s deputy CEO, Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, emphasized that the key obstacles are not regulatory hurdles but internal challenges such as lack of resources and knowledge. He noted that banks can already observe revenue outflows as customers move to alternative platforms.
Data shows that 36% of business investors prefer exchanges for crypto investments, whereas only 27% would opt for a traditional bank. Among retail investors, 27% expressed a preference for banks over exchanges, suggesting that broader banking integration could boost adoption.
✨A recent survey, conducted by Bitpanda Technology Solutions revealed that 1 in 6 Europeans have a positive outlook on the development of crypto and digital assets.
Stay tuned for more key findings —📔a full report is coming soon!
🤔How do you see crypto evolving ? pic.twitter.com/wclg8AaRS6
— Bitpanda (@Bitpanda_global) March 7, 2025
Regulatory Clarity and Competitive Pressure
With the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) providing a regulatory framework for digital assets, Bitpanda believes the conditions are favorable for banks to expand their offerings. Bitget noted in the report:
Until very recently, regulatory framework conditions across European countries varied in terms of regulatory approaches, licensing requirements, and attitudes towards cryptocurrency and blockchain by regulators. These factors have a direct impact on the establishment of blockchain and Web3 companies and consequently on the percentage of the population investing in crypto and should therefore be considered by financial institutions when establishing a crypto service or expanding an existing business into these countries.
Delayed integration, according to Enzersdorfer-Konrad, could result in lost revenue to crypto-native firms and more agile competitors. Furthermore, 28% of surveyed financial institutions believe that digital currency will become more significant in the next three years.
As demand grows and clarity improves, the survey highlights a call to action for traditional banks: reassess current strategies and adapt to the evolving preferences of modern investors.
Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView
