Bank Leumi to Launch Israel’s First Direct Crypto Trading Service

The new service will be embedded directly within the Leumi Trade app, allowing customers of both the bank and its mobile arm, PEPPER, to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies without navigating to external exchanges. Maya Ravia, head of strategy at Bank Leumi, stated that the initiative aims to provide secure, regulated access to digital assets, which the bank views as an increasingly integral component of the global financial system.

To facilitate the rollout, Bank Leumi is leveraging Galaxy’s specialized infrastructure. The GalaxyOne Institutional platform will manage trading execution, while the custody technology—formerly known as GK8—will handle the underlying security of customer assets. Lior Lamesh, CEO of Galaxy Israel, noted that this move positions the bank at the forefront of a shift toward open, programmable financial systems. While the bank has confirmed the initial trio of supported assets, it has yet to disclose specific fee structures, minimum purchase requirements, or the timeline for the service's phased deployment.