Bison Bank Pioneers Crypto Banking in Portugal with MiCA Regulated CASP

Bison Bank has become the first bank in Portugal to operate as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the European MiCA regulation, according to an announcement. This milestone was achieved through the merger of its fully owned subsidiary, Bison Digital Assets (BDA), which had been approved by the Bank of Portugal.

The CASP license is a significant development for Bison Bank, as it enables the bank to offer institutional clients simplified access to custody, exchange, and advisory services for crypto-assets under a bank-grade compliance and risk management framework. This move positions the bank to accelerate its on-chain strategy and support new products, including stablecoins and future real-world asset tokenization solutions.

Bison Bank's CEO, António Henriques, emphasized that the CASP license is a key part of the bank's vision for the future: 'We were pioneers three years ago when we realized the future of banking would involve integrating digital assets. Now, with a clear and solid European framework like MiCA, we are bringing this area into the heart of the bank.'

The bank's strength is backed by its financial performance, having closed 2025 with a recurring net profit of €5 million, doubling the previous year, and a CET1 capital ratio of 38.5%, among the highest in European banking.