French Banking Giant ODDO BHF Expands Into Crypto with EUROD Stablecoin Launch
ODDO BHF, one of France’s leading private banks, has officially entered the crypto space by launching a Euro-backed stablecoin named EUROD. According to , the bank announced the token’s deployment this week, marking a major step for a traditional financial institution bridging into digital assets.
The move comes at a time when legacy banks are looking into issuing regulated stablecoins to compete in the digitized payments and tokenization space. With EUROD, ODDO BHF aims to provide clients with frictionless Euro liquidity on-chain, enabling quicker settlement, reduced counterparty risk, and alignment with evolving DeFi and institutional use cases.
ODDO BHF’s EUROD: A Euro Stablecoin with Financial Roots
Like popular stablecoins such as Tether (USDT) and Circle’s USDC, the EUROD stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the Euro and backed by reserves held in regulated accounts. This provides users with confidence in its stability and operational mechanics.
In its announcement, ODDO BHF emphasized compliance, transparency, and integration with existing banking infrastructure as core features. However, unlike the aforementioned stablecoins, which are crypto-native, EUROD comes from a banking institution with decades of financial operations and regulatory experience. This gives it some advantages that crypto stablecoins can’t offer.
For example, ODDO BHF already has established custody, liquidity, and compliance capabilities that could smoothen its integration into traditional finance. The bank also plans to offer EUROD to its existing clients and institutional partners, allowing them to use the stablecoin for cross-border payments, tokenized assets, and platform settlement.
Some regulatory filings suggest ODDO BHF is positioning EUROD as a bridge between traditional bank deposits and the blockchain economy. Built to comply with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework, the stablecoin holds great promise — thanks to its strong financial roots and crypto positioning.
EUROD Represents Europe’s Push Toward On-Chain Finance
ODDO BHF’s entry into the crypto ecosystem aligns with a broader continental shift toward tokenized money and blockchain-based banking infrastructure. France, in particular, has been at the forefront of digital asset innovation, with several major financial institutions, including (SG-FORGE) and BNP Paribas, experimenting with their own Euro-denominated tokens for institutional use.
Earlier this year, , including Danske Bank, DekaBank, and UniCredit, collaborated to launch a joint Euro-pegged stablecoin. ODDO BHF is following in the identical footsteps to expand the Euro’s adoption in unconventional markets. However, ODDO BHF’s initiative differs in scope and accessibility. By launching a publicly available, fully collateralized Euro stablecoin, the bank positions EUROD as a potential cornerstone of Europe’s on-chain economy, offering the identical credibility as its long-established banking operations.
EUROD will be listed on Madrid-based crypto platform , which is backed by major institutions including telecom giant Telefonica. Analysts believe the move could assist the Euro gain a stronger foothold in the global digital currency landscape, where the U.S. dollar remains dominant, and compete with top tokens like USDT and USDC.
