Bitcoin Price maintained its position above $115,000 on Friday as Binance, the world’s largest Bitcoin and crypto exchange, partners with Spain’s BBVA Bank to provide third-party custody services and explores key steps towards institutional grade security.

The partnership allows Binance customers to store assets in US Treasury securities held by BBVA, Spain’s third largest bank, and the exchange accepts them as a margin of trading. This arrangement effectively separates trading activities from assets custody and provides an additional layer of security for investors involved in exchange risk.

The move comes as a $4.3 billion settlement with US regulators in 2023 continues to restructure the trust following the $4.3 billion settlement over money laundering violations. The exchange implements more stringent controls and clearer disclosures about fund management, such as allowing clients to use third-party custodians such as Sygnum and Flowbank.

BBVA is increasingly active in the Bitcoin and crypto sectors, launching crypto trading and custody services through this year’s mobile app. The bank also takes a bold attitude by advising private clients to allocate up to 7% of their portfolio to Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency, reflecting the growing institutional trust in crypto.

The custody arrangement addresses one of the main concerns that emerged following the collapse of FTX in 2022. Under the new structure, if Binance faces operational or regulatory challenges, Treasury securities under the control of the BBVA will safely insure customer funds.

This partnership represents a new standard for Bitcoin and crypto exchange security. The integration of traditional banking infrastructure with Bitcoin and crypto trading platforms could accelerate institutional adoption by providing a familiar, regulated framework.

The development is amid accelerating adoption of Bitcoin by companies, with the number of public companies holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets rising to over 200.

Market analysts suggest that the Binance and BBVA partnership can set precedents for similar arrangements between Bitcoin and Crypro exchanges and traditional banks. The move could effectively bridge the gap between traditional finance and Bitcoin and attract more institutional investors who are hesitant to enter the Bitcoin market due to custody concerns.

The volume of major Bitcoin and crypto exchanges remains stable following the news, with Bitcoin prices continuing to trade between $115,000 and $116,000. A calm response in the market suggests that as the Bitcoin and the crypto industry matures, the development of the institutions is increasingly normalised.

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Tim Alper

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Tim Alper

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Tim Alper is a British journalist and features writer who has worked at Cryptonews.com since 2018. He has written for media outlets such as the BBC, the Guardian, and Chosun Ilbo. He has also worked…

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July 14, 2025

A group of Spanish lawmakers wants the country’s financial top regulator to force crypto to carry “traffic light”-style risk warnings.

The Spanish news agency EFE (via MSN ) reported that the Sumar group of MPs wants the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) to use the system for retail investors.

The group says that the system would let users “clearly and visually” identify the type of asset they are purchasing.

Sumar has sent a written proposal to the regulator. The group complained that a “significant portion” of tokens traded on crypto exchange platforms “lack material backing or any underlying value.”

Traffic Light Crypto Warnings Coming to Spain?

The parliamentary group also wants to rename cryptoassets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

It proposes using terms like “crypto bets” or “unbacked assets.” The lawmakers justified their request by explaining that coins “do not grant their owners any rights to tangible assets or have any connection to productive activities.”

The traffic light warning system would see the CNMV apply one of three labels to each cryptoasset on an exchange or bank’s investing platform.

• The regulator would give a green light to cryptoassets that are registered, supported, and supervised. These coins would also need to demonstrate stable market performance.
• It would use yellow for cryptoassets that have “limited backing” or display moderate volatility.
• An orange light would identify “unsupervised” coins with high risk levels.
• And a final red label would be reserved for “speculative assets with no identified issuer or material backing.”

Crypto Concentrates Wealth, Say Lawmakers

Sumar said it is wary of “extreme forms of fictitious capital that do not generate value, but rather generate volatility, inequality, and wealth concentration.”

Carlos Martín Urriza, the Sumar spokesperson for Economy and Finance, said policymakers should protect retail investors from assets that are not backed by a verified asset or collateral.

He added that crypto trading is often more similar to betting than to investing. Furthermore, Sumar wants the CNMV to force banks and exchanges to ensure their customers read pre-purchase information on cryptoassets before allowing them to buy coins.

This should apply regardless of a token’s individual classification, Sumar said. It added that these mandatory warnings must be clearly summarized and contain visual elements.

Sumar suggested that the CNMV use prominent warning systems. It said the regulator should base its models on those already used in sectors such as gambling or tobacco sales.

Restrict Access to AI-powered Trading, MPs Urge

Sumar lawmakers also want to create specific regulations for algorithmic trading pools. And the group wants to restrict retail investors’ access to trading platforms that use AI or algorithms.

Sumar is a left-wing coalition comprising 20 parties that was first formed to run in the July 2023 general elections.

Although it does not have a representation in the Senate, it has 31 lawmakers in the lower house, the Congress of Deputies. It makes up one of the 11 political blocs in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s ruling coalition.

This year has seen some of Spain’s largest banks move into the crypto sector as the popularity of coins continues to grow on the Iberian Peninsula.