Key Notes
- PNC Bank partners with Coinbase to enable institutional clients to trade Bitcoin directly through their banking platform.
- The ninth-largest US bank by assets eliminates the need for customers to maintain separate cryptocurrency exchange accounts.
- This move reflects growing institutional adoption as traditional banks integrate digital assets into their services.
US banking giant PNC Bank has launched direct Bitcoin
BTC
$94 281
24h volatility:
4.9%
Market cap:
$1.88 T
Vol. 24h:
$50.11 B
trading for qualified institutional clients, making it the first major US-based banking firm to do so.
PNC Bank is the ninth-largest US bank by assets as of Q3, 2025. The firm has partnered with Coinbase, the second largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, to launch its direct trading services.
According to a Nov. 9 press release, approved PNC Private Bank clients can now buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin directly through their accounts on PNCโs digital banking platform via Coinbaseโs Crypto-as-a-Service (CaaS) function. This eliminates the need for qualified PNC customers to create and operate a separate exchange account to facilitate bridged cryptocurrency trading.
Today marks a major milestone for institutional crypto adoption.@Coinbaseโs Crypto-as-a-Service platform is now powering @PNCBankโs launch of direct bitcoin trading for PNC Private Bank clients โ the first to market with such an offering among the major U.S. banks. pic.twitter.com/wwuOIRuBfK
โ Coinbase Institutional ๐ก๏ธ (@CoinbaseInsto) December 9, 2025
Expanding Fiat-to-Crypto Bridges
PNC Bank announced its intent to begin direct crypto trading back in July during a noteworthy third quarter for the company. According to data from S&P Global, the bankโs parent company, PNC Financial Services Group Inc., recorded the third-highest sequential increase in total assets among US banks for the quarter, with 6.5% growth.
Much of this growth can be attributed to PNCโs acquisition of FirstBank Holding Co. for $4.04 billion which stood as one the largest bank deals announced in 2025.
According to the aforementioned press release, PNC bank clients accessing the platformโs crypto trading services can buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin directly through their accounts. Itโs unclear at this time if and when other cryptocurrencies will be added for trading on the service.
PNCโs further expansion into Bitcoin trading comes as traditional finance institutions across the banking industry clamor to integrate digital assets such as cryptocurrency and stablecoins into their platform.
Bank of America, for example, recently advised its clients to allocate up to 4% of their portfolios in cryptocurrency despite recent turbulence in the cryptocurrency market.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Tristan is a technology journalist and editorial leader with 8 years of experience covering science, deep tech, finance, politics, and business. Before joining Coinspeaker, he wrote for Cointelegraph and TNW.
