Galaxy Israel’s Lior Lamesh said the future of finance will run on open, programmable rails.
Bank Leumi will offer Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL) trading to roughly 2.5 million retail customers from early 2027 through a partnership with Galaxy Digital (GLXY), the two companies said on August 14, in what they describe as the first digital asset trading service offered by a bank in Israel.
Customers of Leumi and PEPPER (its mobile digital banking arm) will trade inside a dedicated, secured section of Leumi Trade, the bank’s capital markets application.
GalaxyOne Institutional supplies the trading platform, and custody runs on Galaxy’s custody infrastructure platform, formerly known as GK8.
“This initiative represents a significant pillar of the bank’s innovation strategy and enables us to provide customers with simple, secure, and regulated access to trading digital assets,” said Maya Ravia, Head of Strategy at Bank Leumi.
Regulator Blocked the 2022 Attempt
The plan is subject to approval by the Bank of Israel. Leumi and PEPPER announced a partnership with Paxos to offer BTC and ETH trading back in 2022, and that service never reached customers after the Bank of Israel declined to approve it.
Israeli rules have shifted since. The Bank of Israel’s Banking Supervision Department removed the automatic delay on deposits originating from crypto transactions above NIS 100,000 in mid-July.
Moreover, according to Chainalysis, Israel received roughly $22 billion in on-chain value in the 12 months to June 2025.
The Capital Market Authority has separately circulated a draft that would let licensed companies offer trading in the 50 leading digital assets, subject to a $500 million minimum market capitalization, limits on holder concentration, and registration in recognized jurisdictions, including the European Union and New York State.
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Custody Traces Back to Celsius
Galaxy’s custody technology reached it through a bankruptcy. Celsius paid $115 million for GK8, a Tel Aviv custody firm, and Galaxy won the platform in the insolvency proceedings, adding about 40 staff and a Tel Aviv office. GK8 co-founder Lior Lamesh now runs Galaxy Israel.
“The future of finance will run on open, programmable rails, and we believe the banks that move first will define the era that follows,” stated Lior Lamesh, Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Israel.
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