Israel's Discount Bank says retail customers can buy, hold and sell bitcoin and ether in its banking app from 26 November
What happened. Israel's Discount Bank will let individual customers buy, hold and sell bitcoin and ether directly in its banking app from 26 November, without opening a separate digital wallet or an overseas exchange account, PANews reported, citing the bank's website; ChainCatcher reported the same. The service is open only to Israeli residents aged 18 or over who have a securities account, both outlets reported.
Why it matters. Discount Bank says this is a first for Israel's banking sector, PANews reported; customers would not need a separate digital wallet or an overseas exchange account, PANews and ChainCatcher reported.
- Each trade carries a fee of 2% of the amount traded, PANews and ChainCatcher reported.
- There is no custody fee for the first six months after launch, then 0.25% a quarter, PANews and ChainCatcher reported.
- Fireblocks provides the custody infrastructure for the assets, PANews and ChainCatcher reported.
Read the originals (2), usually in their own language:
- Israel Discount Bank opens in-app bitcoin and ether trading from November 26 · PANews, headline translated by us
- Morning brief | Bitcoin falls 3.5% in the past 24 hours; Israel Discount Bank to open in-app bitcoin and ether trading · ChainCatcher, headline translated by us