Leumi Bank to offer Bitcoin trading for 2.5M clients in 2027

Bank Leumi, Israel’s largest commercial bank, plans to launch Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana trading for its 2.5 million retail clients via its Leumi Trade platform and Pepper mobile app in early 2027, partnering with Galaxy Digital and custody unit GK8. The move is notable because Leumi previously abandoned a 2022 crypto initiative after the Bank of Israel withheld approval, but the regulatory backdrop has since improved. If approved, the service could be a significant mainstream adoption catalyst in Israel by embedding crypto trading inside a major retail banking app, alongside existing banking services. The announcement also underscores the growing importance of regulated custody and compliance infrastructure for banks entering digital assets. Final launch still depends on formal Bank of Israel sign-off.