IG Europe has partnered with Bitpanda to expand its digital asset offering across the European Union, giving the broker access to Bitpanda’s crypto infrastructure as client demand for regulated crypto exposure grows. IG Europe GmbH, the group’s European subsidiary, is regulated by BaFin in Germany, placing the rollout inside an established supervisory framework.
Managing Director Esteve Jane said the partnership broadens IG Europe’s product range across the region and gives experienced investors access to more asset classes through a platform they already trust. In his view, clients want crypto exposure from a provider with recognized standards on quality and security, and the Bitpanda tie-up is designed to meet that demand.
Licensing, acquisitions and partnerships are now linked
The agreement fits into a broader crypto buildout already underway at IG Group. The company has acquired Australian crypto exchange Independent Reserve and also secured a MiCA license, which allows it to offer crypto products and services across the EU.
That licensing regime has changed the operating environment for brokers in Europe. MiCA gives firms a clearer framework for serving multiple markets across the bloc, easing some of the legal fragmentation that had made cross-border crypto expansion harder to scale. IG has also reshaped its exchange portfolio, selling Small Exchange Inc., a futures exchange platform it bought in 2023, to Kraken as part of a collaboration with the crypto exchange.
Bitpanda brings the infrastructure layer
For traditional trading firms, the question is no longer just whether to offer crypto, but how to do it without building trading, custody and infrastructure entirely in-house. Bitpanda gives IG Europe a faster route to expand digital assets while remaining within a regulated operating model in one of the world’s more structured crypto markets.
Founded in 2014, Bitpanda has become one of Europe’s major crypto exchanges. According to its latest financial statement, the company had at least 7.4 million users by the end of 2025. Its business has also moved beyond spot crypto trading. The firm recently launched in the UK and added support for thousands of equities and ETFs, making its platform more relevant for financial institutions looking for digital asset capability within a broader investment setup.
Nadeem Ladki, Global Head of Bitpanda Enterprise, said the company’s goal is to help financial institutions bring digital assets to market safely and at scale. He added that supporting IG Europe strengthens Bitpanda’s position as an infrastructure partner for institutions building digital asset services.
EU crypto distribution is shifting toward regulated brokers
The partnership points to a wider market shift in Europe. Investors are being offered access to digital assets not only through crypto-native exchanges, but also through established brokers and investment platforms they already use for other products.
That change matters for larger clients because trust, licensing and operating controls remain central barriers to adoption. A broker regulated in Germany and operating under EU crypto rules offers a very different setup from an offshore venue with limited oversight. IG Europe’s latest move suggests that the next phase of crypto growth in Europe may come through regulated brokers adding digital assets to existing platforms, with MiCA providing the legal foundation and partnerships like this showing how the model is being executed.