According to a study, 35% of European investors could change banks to access crypto

MiCA is advancing in Europe like an inspector with a cold look: it reassures some, it tightens many other players. Voices from digital finance swear that this crypto regulation pushes talent and capital to other more flexible shores. Yet, beneath this layer of grumbling, European investors are not deserting. They watch, compare, and even begin to pressure their banks to get simple, clean crypto access without empty promises or unnecessary folklore.

Banks discover that crypto moves their customers

The scene changes, slowly but surely. In Europe, crypto is no longer a marginal product, it is part of banking decisions. According to the Börse Stuttgart Digital study, 35% of European investors could change banks to access better crypto offers. This figure does not come from nowhere; it reflects new pressure on traditional institutions.

Almost one in five investors also expect their main bank to provide access to digital assets within the next three years. 

European investors increasingly value trust and access to emerging asset classes when choosing their banking partners. Our study shows that crypto is shaping more and more how banks attract and retain their clients.

Matthias Voelkel, CEO of Börse Stuttgart Group

In Spain, this willingness rises to 40%, compared to 35% in Italy, 33% in France, and 29% in Germany. Especially, banks inspire more than twice as much trust as specialized platforms to buy digital assets on their premises.  

MiCA reassures, but Europe still moves forward with a crutch

The European paradox is clear. Crypto appetite grows, but mistrust remains as heavy as a reinforced door. According to the study, 76% of investors still find crypto assets insufficiently regulated, more than 60% feel poorly informed, and 69% find them too complex. MiCA thus comes as a regulatory crutch rather than a magic wand. 

Trust and clear regulation are essential for the next phase of crypto adoption in Europe. With MiCAR bringing transparency and legal certainty, investors gain the clarity they expect.

Matthias Voelkel, CEO of Börse Stuttgart Group

Nearly half of investors say this European framework makes digital assets safer and more attractive. Yet, education remains the market’s old lock: 54% of Spaniards would invest more with increased knowledge, versus 49% of French and 44% of Germans and Italians. 

In short, Europe tames crypto through law before making it commercially commonplace. 

Spain leads, France cautious: the wave does not hit all shores

Crypto Europe does not move as a block. It advances in pockets, cultures, and with different banking reflexes. Spain leads with nearly 28% of investors already exposed to crypto, ahead of Germany at 25%, Italy at 24%, and France at 23%. Future interest follows the same slope, with over 40% general appetite in Spain, versus 36% in France, 35% in Germany, and 34% in Italy. 

Yet, France remains the country where trust in the main bank is strongest, at 46%, ahead of Spain, Germany, and Italy. The study involved 6,000 respondents aged 18 to 70, via Marketagent, between August 2025 and January 2026. This detail matters: Europe no longer fantasizes about crypto in the void, it now measures it properly. 

This is not uniform fashion, but a rise step by step.

Landmarks to keep in mind

• 35% ready to change banks;
• 25% already exposed to crypto;
• 36% ready to reinvest;
• 76% find regulation insufficient;
• BTC Price: $78,057.

For major European institutions, the priority remains elsewhere: digital euro first, crypto next. However, there is openness on the side of euro stablecoins, not dollar versions, with the Qivalis consortium and Fireblocks mobilized for a MiCA-compliant issuance targeted for the second half of 2026. Europe still tightens the reins, but leaves a door slightly open.