Bison Bank launches stablecoin for cross-border payments

By Aarav Garg

Bison Bank, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Bison Capital Holding Company Limited, has launched a MiCA-compliant stablecoin for institutional cross-border payments, marking another step in the convergence of regulated banking and digital asset infrastructure in Europe.

The new offering, called the Bison Bank Electronic Token, will be issued in two versions: euro-denominated EUB and US dollar-denominated USB. Both tokens are structured as Electronic Money Tokens (EMTs) under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which establishes common regulatory standards for digital assets across the bloc.

“Bison Bank’s goal is to reshape the global financial landscape,” said António Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank. “Our Electronic Money token serves as a secure bridge between traditional money and the digital future — a compliant, fast channel for cross-border payments among institutional partners, merging the reliability of a regulated banking group with the innovation of digital assets.”

The launch positions Bison Bank among a growing group of regulated financial institutions entering the stablecoin market as demand rises for blockchain-based settlement and treasury tools. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, EMTs are designed to maintain stable value through full fiat backing and regulatory oversight.

Bison Bank said the tokens are intended to support faster, more transparent international payments and transfers for institutional clients. As a regulated EU credit institution supervised by the European Central Bank, the bank said its stablecoin structure also aligns with Basel Committee cryptoasset exposure standards that come into effect in January 2026.

The development builds on the bank’s earlier digital asset push through Bison Digital Assets, launched in 2022 to provide crypto trading and custody services integrated with traditional banking accounts.

The move reflects a broader trend across financial services, where banks and FinTech firms are increasingly exploring tokenised money and blockchain-based payment infrastructure within regulated frameworks. MiCA has accelerated this shift by providing legal clarity for stablecoin issuance and digital asset operations in Europe.

For cross-border payments, regulated stablecoins are increasingly being positioned as an alternative to conventional correspondent banking rails, particularly for treasury operations, liquidity management and near real-time settlement between institutions.