Key Highlights
- Danske Bank is now offering customers access to Bitcoin and Ethereum through crypto ETPs via its eBanking and mobile services.
- The new crypto investment option responds to growing customer demand and aligns with improved regulations in the sector.
- Denmark’s proposed shift to taxing unrealized crypto gains (up to 42% annually) recommended in 2024 has not yet been enacted into law as of February 2026.
Danske Bank, the largest banking and financial institution in Denmark, has announced plans to offer its customers access to products leveraging cryptocurrencies. This marks the Nordic European country’s first major step in integrating crypto-related investment vehicles.
As per the official release, customers of Danske Bank will be able to gain exposure to the two most common cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, for the first time using the bank’s eBanking and Danske mobile services.
The offering involved investments through crypto ETPs (exchange-traded products), targeted towards customers who use Danske’s trading platform without receiving any investment advice. “The ETPs give exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum in an easy and simple manner without investors having to have a digital wallet to store the cryptocurrencies, thus avoiding the inconvenience and risks that may entail,” the bank shared in the release.
According to the bank, this new option comes amid increasing demand for crypto-related instruments and ‘goes hand in hand with improved regulation in the area.’ It will be an addition to Danske’s wide range of products including over 15,000 different securities.
“As cryptocurrencies have become a more common asset class, we are receiving an increasing number of enquiries from customers wanting the option of investing in cryptocurrencies as part of their investment portfolio,” Kerstin Lysholm, Head of Investment Products & Offering at Danske Bank, says, adding that the crypto landscape area has become better regulated in recent years and this has generally increased people’s confidence in cryptocurrencies.
Denmark’s to tax unrealized crypto Gains in 2026
As reported by The Crypto Times in October 2024, the Danish Tax Law Council (Skattelovrådet) released a comprehensive report recommending a shift toward “inventory taxation” or mark-to-market rules for crypto assets. This would treat cryptocurrencies similarly to stocks and bonds while imposing an annual tax of up to 42% on gains (realized or unrealized) on the total portfolio value.
With this proposal, the Danish regulators aimed to close perceived loopholes in current rules where only realized gains from sales, trades, or disposals are taxed as personal income. The changes were supposed to be enacted in 2026, applying broadly to holdings dating back to Bitcoin’s early days.
As of February 2026, the proposal has not been passed into law yet, with official sources from the Danish Tax Agency (Skat.dk) and Ministry of Taxation confirming that the 2024 recommendations have yet to be fully debated.
While some international reports and social media discussions reference the plan as imminent or already in effect, critics highlight risks like liquidity challenges.
If such implications are taken into account, investors might need to sell assets to cover taxes on paper profits and potential capital flight. The government has signaled intent to introduce related legislation, but no final bill has materialized, leaving Denmark’s crypto tax regime focused on realized events for now.
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