First National Bank (FNB), the retail division of FirstRand group, launched a new feature called Crypto Investing on October 6, 2026. The service allows nearly 9 million retail clients to trade digital assets directly through the bank's existing share-trading platform.
The bank partnered with local crypto exchange VALR to provide the service. Currently, users can trade five assets: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and the USDT stablecoin. Trading is available 24/7, with a minimum transaction size of R10, approximately $0.60.
The new feature integrates with FNB investment products such as Share Saver, Share Builder, Share Investor, and Share Zero. Clients fund purchases directly from their bank accounts without needing to use third-party exchanges or separate login credentials.
Assets purchased through FNB remain within the bank's ecosystem, as the platform does not support transfers to external wallets. The bank cites compliance with South African exchange-control regulations and security measures against fraud as the reasons for this restriction.
The initiative follows a similar partnership between Discovery Bank and Luno established in November 2025. Data from late 2025 indicates that over 6 million South Africans held crypto assets, with more than R25 billion in digital assets under custody at major local platforms.
FNB plans to expand the range of supported digital assets in the future. The bank also intends to introduce educational resources to assist clients in navigating the risks and complexities associated with cryptocurrency investments.
