Bison Bank to Launch Portugal's First Bank-Issued Stablecoin in 2026

Pioneering Digital Finance in Portugal

Bison Bank, a prominent Portuguese private bank, has announced its plans to launch the first stablecoin issued by a bank in Portugal during 2026. This strategic move marks a significant step in the country's digital finance landscape and is part of a broader initiative that includes the integration of its crypto subsidiary, Bison Digital Assets (BDA), into its main operations.

The announcement positions Bison Bank at the forefront of financial innovation in Portugal, aiming to provide advanced digital asset services to its global client base, which spans over 140 countries.

Strategic Integration and Regulatory Alignment

The core of this strategy involves the merger by incorporation of Bison Digital Assets into Bison Bank's main structure. This integration is driven by the new European regulatory framework for the crypto-asset market, known as MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets), which was recently adopted in Portugal. The MiCA framework provides legal clarity and regulatory certainty, enabling credit institutions like Bison Bank to directly offer crypto-asset services.

Bison Digital Assets, established in 2023 and licensed by the Bank of Portugal, was the first Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) fully owned by a Portuguese bank. Its services, including crypto-asset deposit, transfer, and exchange, will now become a direct offering of Bison Bank. António Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank and Chairman of Bison Digital Assets, stated that 'The integration of BDA into Bison Bank is a natural move, driven by the new MiCA regulatory framework, which provides for the possibility of banks engaging in crypto-asset activities.'

Enhancing Cross-Border Payments and Asset Tokenization

The forthcoming stablecoin is designed to improve the efficiency of cross-border payments, reduce transaction costs, and accelerate international transactions for Bison Bank's clients. The bank's marketing materials indicate that Chinese entrepreneurs are a key target market, with support for currencies including EUR, USD, GBP, and RMB.

In addition to the stablecoin, Bison Bank is advancing its capabilities in Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization. The bank already possesses the necessary technology and expertise to tokenize assets, with an initial focus on sectors such as real estate and investment funds. This initiative aims to democratize access to high-value investments by enabling fractional ownership, increasing liquidity, and ensuring transparent settlement through blockchain registration.

Partnerships and Future Outlook

To ensure compliance with MiCA regulations for stablecoins, Bison Digital Assets has partnered with Circle, integrating its operations directly with Circle's issuance and redemption platform. This partnership allows BDA to leverage fully reserved dollar and euro stablecoins, USDC and EURC, for deposits, withdrawals, and transfers, backed by liquid cash and cash-equivalent assets.

The launch of Portugal's first bank-issued stablecoin and the expansion into RWA tokenization underscore Bison Bank's commitment to bridging traditional finance with the evolving digital asset economy, solidifying its position as a key player in the European financial market.