Portugal’s Bison Bank to Launch Stablecoin in 2026 Under MiCA

Portuguese private bank Bison Bank plans a 2026 stablecoin launch, integrating BDA into core operations under MiCA to enable crypto services and asset tokenization for cross-border payments.

Rich by Coin

2026-01-30

Portuguese private bank Bison Bank plans to launch a stablecoin in 2026, becoming the first banking institution in Portugal to issue the digital asset. The bank is integrating Bison Digital Assets (BDA), its three-year-old crypto subsidiary, into its main operations following Portugal’s adoption of the European MiCA framework in December, enabling Portuguese credit institutions to offer crypto asset services directly. The bank says it already has the technology to tokenize real-world assets, with an initial focus on real estate and investment funds. Bison Bank positions the stablecoin as a tool to improve cross-border payment efficiency and reduce transaction costs for its client base, which spans over 140 countries.

Its marketing materials indicate that Chinese entrepreneurs are a key target market, and the RMB is one of four currencies supported by its digital asset subsidiary alongside EUR, USD and GBP. Portuguese private bank Bison Bank plans to launch a stablecoin in 2026, becoming Portugal’s first banking institution to issue a digital asset. The bank is integrating Bison Digital Assets (BDA), its three-year-old crypto subsidiary, into its core operations as Portugal embraces the European MiCA framework, enabling Portuguese credit institutions to offer crypto asset services directly. The bank says it already has the technology to tokenize real-world assets, with an initial focus on real estate and investment funds.

The stablecoin is positioned to improve cross-border payment efficiency and reduce transaction costs for its client base, which spans more than 140 countries. Its marketing materials indicate that Chinese entrepreneurs are a key target market, and the RMB will be one of four currencies supported by BDA alongside EUR, USD and GBP. The move reflects Portugal’s regulatory alignment with MiCA, broadening regulated crypto activity for established banks. Bison Bank’s stablecoin plan signals a growing trend among lenders to leverage tokenization to support international payments and asset-backed digital assets.