Bitcoin News
By Sakamoto Nashi
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Galaxy's GK8 Acquisition Powers the Backend. Galaxy's role here isn't random. Back in 2023, Galaxy bought GK8 — an Israel-founded custody…
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Israel's Regulators Are Shifting — Slowly. There are real signs of movement on the regulatory side.
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Competitive Pressure on Israeli Banks. No other major Israeli bank has announced a comparable service. Not Bank Hapoalim.
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Bank Leumi wants in on crypto. Israel's largest and oldest commercial bank has announced plans to let customers buy, hold, and sell bitcoin, ether, and solana directly through…
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The bank is working with Galaxy Digital, the Nasdaq-listed crypto firm, to build out the trading and custody infrastructure behind the service.
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The service is planned to live inside Leumi's existing Leumi Trade investment app. And the bank's mobile arm, PEPPER, is part of the rollout too, meant to make the experience…
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The planned launch is set for early 2027, pending approvals. That timeline could slip. It's happened before — Leumi tried to launch something similar in the past and got stopped…
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There are real signs of movement on the regulatory side. Israel's banking supervisors have put forward draft rules that would make it easier to transfer funds from licensed…
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But the Bank of Israel hasn't made its final call yet. That decision is expected before the planned launch, and without it, nothing moves.
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Related: Jeff Park Sees Bitcoin Winning After AI Absorbs 80% of Venture Capital
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The market context makes the timing understandable. Over 25% of Israelis have reportedly engaged with digital assets recently.
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No other major Israeli bank has announced a comparable service. Not Bank Hapoalim. Not Mizrahi-Tefahot. Not Bank Discount.
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There's a broader point here too. Integrating crypto into a traditional banking app isn't just a product decision — it's a statement about what a bank thinks its customers want…
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The white-label structure with Galaxy keeps Leumi in control of the customer relationship. It can set the terms, manage compliance, and keep the experience consistent with its…
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Read also: Edelman and Tudor Investment Make Major Moves in Bitcoin ETFs
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