Odaily Planet News: According to an official announcement, Belgian banking group KBC has declared that, starting from the week of February 16, its online investment platform Bolero will support individual investors in buying and selling crypto assets within the platform, making it the first bank in Belgium to offer such services. The related services will be conducted under the framework of the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). KBC has already submitted a complete registration as a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) to the relevant authorities.
The announcement states that initially, Bolero will support Bitcoin and Ethereum transactions, operating under an "execution-only, no investment advice" model. Users must complete a knowledge and experience test before trading to confirm their full understanding of the risks associated with investing in crypto assets. At the same time, KBC employs a closed trading and custody model, meaning that crypto assets can only be bought and sold within Bolero and cannot be transferred to or from external platforms. Additionally, strict KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYT (Know Your Transaction) processes are implemented to reduce the risks of fraud and money laundering.
KBC stated that this initiative aims to respond to the market's demand for regulated cryptocurrency investment channels under the premise of compliance and security, and to provide investors with a more controlled way to participate through bank-grade custody and risk control systems.