Crypto is a core part of the oneBanking vision. And how we build it matters.

The Decision

Crypto at oneBanking will launch in two phases. First, we go live with a trusted partner solution to get the product into your hands quickly. In parallel, we’re building our own crypto exchange. Fully licensed under MiCA. Fully owned by us.

Why both? Because we want to move fast without compromising on where we’re headed.

The Easy Road

There’s a fast way to add crypto to a fintech app. Partner with a licensed provider, plug into their API, ship. Live in weeks.

That model works. And we’re using it to launch. But it comes with trade-offs.

The partner takes a cut on every transaction. You don’t own the compliance stack, you inherit theirs. If they change pricing, terms, or roadmap, you adapt or you’re stuck. Your product is limited by what their infrastructure allows. And when regulation shifts, you’re waiting for someone else to figure it out.

For a lot of companies, that’s the permanent setup. For us, it’s the starting point. We’re building a financial platform where crypto is native. That requires our own exchange.

What It Takes

Running a crypto exchange in Europe isn’t just about registering as a CASP. Under MiCA, operating a full exchange requires additional licensing. Custody, trading, transfers. All regulated. All requiring their own approvals.

Most fintechs never go down this road. They plug into a partner’s infrastructure and call it done.

We’re going further. oneBanking is building its own fully licensed exchange. That means owning the full stack. From custody to compliance to the product experience. End to end.

Not common. Not easy. But once live, it means one thing: we build for you, not around someone else’s limitations. Faster improvements. Tighter security. A crypto experience that feels like part of your banking app, not a separate product glued on top.

What We Gain

Independence

Our own license. Our own roadmap. Once the exchange is live, every product decision is ours. New assets, better pricing, a completely redesigned experience. No approvals needed. No waiting.

Control

Full ownership of compliance and product design. Instead of inheriting a partner’s framework, we build our own. Designed around our product, our standards, and the regulatory environment we operate in. In a landscape that’s evolving fast, that kind of control isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential.

Margins

Stronger unit economics long-term. No revenue share. No per-transaction fees to a middleware provider. Every trade, every transfer, the economics work for us, not against us. That’s how you build something that lasts.

The Honest Part

Every company that offers crypto in Europe had the same choice. Partner with someone, or build it yourself. Most chose the partner. We chose both. Launch with a partner now, build the exchange for later. That means more work. More moving parts. More things to get right. But when the exchange goes live, everything we’ve built is ours.

Marco Kowalewski, our Chief Digital Assets Officer, leads the crypto division and brings exactly the expertise needed to execute this at the level it requires.

“A partner solution is a smart way to start. But the real work is happening in parallel. We’re building a fully licensed exchange where every layer, from compliance to user experience, is designed as one system. That’s what ownership looks like.”

— Marco Kowalewski, Chief Digital Assets Officer, oneBanking

What’s Next

We’ll share more when the time is right. No hype. No teasing. When there’s something to show, you’ll know.

Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to our newsletter at onebanking.app or follow us on our socials. And if you want early access, join the waitlist at onetoken.app/wait.

Part of our Company News series. Strategic decisions, shared transparently. No spin. Just what we’re doing and why.