Cryptocurrency-focused new generation finance platforms have become more visible with their structures that provide an alternative to the traditional banking model. In his assessment to The Block, Blockrise founder Jos Lazet described these structures as “anarchist neobanks” and pointed out that the way digital assets circulate in the global economy has changed.
Banking services are offered with fragmented infrastructure
According to industry observers, these platforms bring together functions such as banking, payment, custody, compliance and blockchain-based reconciliation across different infrastructure providers, rather than bringing them together under a single institution. Thus, while a bank-like experience is provided to the user, the background of the service is carried out by more than one licensed or technical partner.
Mini dictionary: BaaS, or Banking as a Service model, is when a licensed bank opens its account, payment and compliance infrastructure to other financial technology companies via API. MiCA and MiCAR refer to the European Union’s regulatory framework for crypto asset markets.
In the emerging model, many startups are partnering with licensed banks, stablecoin issuers and blockchain-based payment networks rather than operating as full-fledged banks. This approach allows crypto companies to develop customer-focused products without obtaining a direct banking license.
Jos Lazet stated that Dutch Bitcoin users have had to choose between security and ease of use until now, and with the bunq infrastructure, they can now access both elements together.
Blockrise and bunq partnership attracted attention
Founded in 2017 and focused solely on Bitcoin, Blockrise collaborated with Europe-based neobank bunq in April 2026. With this partnership, bank accounts were directly integrated into the Bitcoin platform. Fiat balances held within the service are secured up to 100,000 euros under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee System through Bunq’s European banking licence.
Blockrise became the first company to use bunq’s new BaaS platform. In this way, the company can offer banking functions as well as Bitcoin buying and selling, asset management and Bitcoin-based loan services without obtaining its own banking license. Blockrise also holds a MiCAR license from the Dutch Financial Markets Authority AFM.
Global growth carries different models together
This trend is not limited to Europe. Hong Kong-based crypto payment company RedotPay has reached more than 5 million users in more than 100 countries after being founded in 2023. The company’s annual transaction volume is approximately 10 billion dollars. RedotPay rose to unicorn status by receiving $47 million investment from Coinbase Ventures, Galaxy Ventures and Vertex Ventures in September 2025.
Models with different risk structures also stand out in the market. While Plasma One focuses on cities with high dollar demand such as Istanbul, Buenos Aires and Dubai, Gnosis Pay offers a structure that keeps user assets directly connected to personal wallets instead of a third party. France-based Deblock combines the French IBAN system with a non-custodial crypto wallet.
| Platform | Featured model | Remarkable data |
|---|---|---|
| Blockrise | Merger of bank account and Bitcoin service | Deposit assurance up to 100,000 euros |
| RedotPay | crypto payment network | 5 million users, $10 billion annual volume |
| Gnosis Share | Card structure connected to wallet | No third-party storage available |
According to experts, the definition of “neobank” is gradually expanding. While some platforms mimic the classic banking experience, others directly build wallet-centric financial interfaces. This distinction creates significant differences in terms of user trust and operational risk.
Regulations and stablecoin infrastructure were effective
Behind this growth is not only user demand, but also infrastructure investments and regulatory frameworks. Stripe acquired stablecoin payments company Bridge for $1.1 billion in October 2024. Mastercard also approached a purchase agreement for BVNK that could reach up to $1.8 billion. By 2025, stablecoin transaction volume increased to $33 trillion. While this figure indicates a 72 percent increase compared to the previous year, it also surpasses Visa’s fiscal year performance of $16.7 trillion.
The data showed that stablecoin usage is rapidly expanding not only in trading transactions but also in consumer-focused areas such as daily payments, money transfers and account management.
The GENIUS Act, which came into force in the United States in July 2025, created a federal framework for the issuance of stablecoins for payment purposes. In Europe, MiCA has been in full implementation since December 2024. In this environment, Société Générale released a dollar-indexed stablecoin, and BBVA confirmed its euro-indexed stablecoin plan for 2026. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority also granted the first stablecoin licenses to the joint venture of HSBC and Standard Chartered in April 2026.
These developments make the process of entering and holding Bitcoin more fluid. Offering Bitcoin services under the same roof with bank-secured accounts can reduce the cost of switching between fiat money and crypto assets. However, some observers speculate that this hybrid structure could, over time, bring Bitcoin’s decentralization approach closer to a more regulated and denser brokerage structure.
