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European digital bank bunq has partnered with Dutch Bitcoin platform Blockrise to provide protected Bitcoin services through a Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) solution. The alliance was announced on 29 April 2026 in Amsterdam and is designed to combine traditional banking safeguards with easier access to cryptocurrency, including bank accounts tailored for Bitcoin activities.
Under the agreement, Blockrise is reported to be among the first companies to adopt bunq’s BaaS platform. The model allows businesses to embed bunq’s regulated banking infrastructure into their own services via an open API.
For Blockrise clients in the Netherlands, the offering enables embedded bank accounts that can be opened instantly, with the ability to manage fiat funds alongside Bitcoin transactions.
All euro deposits are safeguarded up to €100,000 under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme. The protection is backed by bunq’s European banking licence, providing the same level of coverage associated with conventional banks.
The collaboration is positioned as a response to a challenge faced by Bitcoin users in the Netherlands—balancing strong security with everyday usability. By integrating bunq’s infrastructure, Blockrise can deliver a combined package that handles regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering checks, and technical security.
The BaaS approach is also described as enabling fintech firms to accelerate innovation while relying on bunq’s established safeguards and operational capabilities.
Jos Lazet, founder and CEO of Blockrise: “Dutch Bitcoin users no longer have to pick between safety and ease of use. Thanks to bunq’s setup, they receive both—a smooth bank account that integrates perfectly with Bitcoin and comes with full protection from the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.”
Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq: “For more than ten years, our focus has been simplifying banking for our users. This partnership extends that vision further.”
bunq is described as a generative AI-powered bank that uses artificial intelligence across its operations to support financial management, including spending, saving, and investing for mobile and location-independent users. The company secured Europe’s first full banking licence in over 35 years, raised a record €193 million Series A funding round, and became the first EU neobank to achieve consistent profitability.
In October 2025, bunq expanded into the United States as an approved broker-dealer, with further growth planned.
Blockrise is headquartered in Rotterdam and was established in 2017. It operates exclusively with Bitcoin and offers trading, portfolio management, and loans backed by Bitcoin holdings. The platform uses a hybrid custody system intended to ensure clients retain full ownership of their assets.
Blockrise is regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) and serves both individuals and businesses throughout Europe. The Bitcoin-backed lending offering is managed separately and falls outside MiCAR oversight.
The tie-up highlights increased convergence between regulated banking services and digital assets. With the service rolling out initially in the Netherlands, industry professionals anticipate broader availability across Europe in the months ahead.
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