Ripple Expands Partnership with Spanish Banking Giant BBVA to Power Crypto Custody

Group 1 - Ripple has entered into an agreement with BBVA to provide institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to support the bank's crypto operations [1][2] - BBVA will utilize Ripple Custody to manage Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) holdings for retail customers in Spain, following the bank's earlier launch of a digital asset trading and custody service [2][8] - The partnership builds on previous collaborations between Ripple and BBVA in Switzerland and Turkey, focusing on real-time cross-border payments [3][8] Group 2 - The establishment of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA) has encouraged banks in Europe, including BBVA, to expand their digital asset offerings [4][6] - Other banks in Europe, such as Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered, are also advancing their crypto custody services, indicating a broader trend in the region [5] - Ripple's expanded role with BBVA highlights the integration of crypto services by regulated financial institutions, emphasizing the need for compliance and scalability in a post-MiCA environment [6]