Austria's 21bitcoin Launches Europe-First Bitcoin-Backed Loan Pilot With VR Bank and Sopra

21bitcoin operator FIOR Digital GmbH has launched a Europe‑first pilot project with Volksbank Raiffeisenbank Bayern Mitte eG and Sopra Financial Technology GmbH to develop a regulatory-compliant bitcoin-backed lending white‑label solution, announced October 20, 2025.

The consortium will run the pilot from Salzburg and partner banks’ sites, combining 21bitcoin’s custody and user-experience capabilities with VR Bank Bayern Mitte’s retail banking experience and Sopra’s integration technology.

The initiative aims to let customers use bitcoin as collateral without selling it, opening new liquidity access while preserving potential price gains and tax treatment; 21bitcoin reports about 100,000 European customers and roughly Ꞓ500 million in trading volume. “Our goal is to make Bitcoin accessible and usable for everyone,” said Daniel Winklhammer, CEO of 21bitcoin, and the product will comply with regulatory requirements including the Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCAR) where applicable.

FAQ 🧭

• Where is the pilot based? — Salzburg, Austria, with implementation across participating German bank locations.
• Who are the partners? — FIOR Digital/21bitcoin, Volksbank Raiffeisenbank Bayern Mitte eG, and Sopra Financial Technology GmbH.
• What does the product do? — It enables bitcoin-backed loans so customers keep their BTC while accessing liquidity.
• Is it regulatory-compliant? — The pilot is designed to meet EU rules, including Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCAR), where applicable.