Key facts
- Neobank bunq and Dutch Bitcoin platform Blockrise have partnered to offer Bitcoin services via integrated bank accounts.
- Blockrise is the first company to leverage bunq's new Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) offering.
- The partnership aims to provide users with both security and convenience, bridging traditional banking and crypto.
- Fiat deposits within the partnership are protected up to €100,000 by the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
- Blockrise CEO Jos Lazet described the offering as a way for users to get a bank account that works seamlessly with Bitcoin.
Neobank bunq has partnered with Dutch Bitcoin platform Blockrise to offer users Bitcoin services through integrated bank accounts, leveraging bunq's Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform. This collaboration, starting in the Netherlands, allows Blockrise users to access Bitcoin services with embedded bank accounts, with fiat deposits protected up to €100,000 by the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Blockrise is the first business to utilize bunq's BaaS offering, which enables companies to build upon bunq's open API, integrating its secure and regulated financial infrastructure. Jos Lazet, Founder and CEO of Blockrise, stated that the partnership provides users with both security and convenience, offering a bank account that works seamlessly with Bitcoin. He emphasized that this addresses the gap for Dutch Bitcoin users who previously had to choose between security and convenience.
bunq's BaaS platform aims to help companies innovate faster by handling complex compliance and security requirements. Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, noted that the partnership empowers innovators like Blockrise to build products that meet user needs on a trusted and secure platform. bunq, described as the world's first GenAI-powered bank, aims to make life easy for location-independent individuals and businesses.
In separate discussions, Blockrise CEO Jos Lazet highlighted the importance of institutional infrastructure for Bitcoin adoption, noting the gap between exchange accounts and full self-custody. He discussed how volatility remains a key factor, with many participants now exposed through bitcoin-backed lending, amplifying the impact of price movements. Blockrise Capital B.V. operates with a semi-custodial model under MiCAR regulation, using hardware security modules for key generation, preventing unilateral control by either party. This model targets those seeking more certainty than exchange custody but without the operational burden of multi-signature setups. Blockrise Lending B.V. offers bitcoin-backed loans in euros with conservative liquidation terms.