PNC Bank Partners with Coinbase to Offer Crypto Access

NC Steps Into Crypto—With Coinbase Behind the Curtain

PNC Bank has officially entered the crypto arena, announcing a partnership with Coinbase that will give its 9 million customers direct access to buy, sell, and hold digital assets from within the PNC ecosystem. The move comes as client demand for crypto exposure soars and banks scramble to stay relevant amid Washington’s regulatory shift.

Rather than launching its own platform, PNC is integrating Coinbase’s Crypto-as-a-Service (CaaS) model, allowing seamless access without users ever needing to leave their banking dashboard. In return, Coinbase will receive core banking services from PNC, forming a mutual partnership that brings digital and traditional finance closer than ever.

Why Now?

This move didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s part of a broader wave of bank–crypto alignment that’s been accelerating since President Trump signed the GENIUS stablecoin law just days ago. The law created a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins and cleared the path for banks to work with crypto firms directly, a total reversal from the restrictive stance taken under the Biden administration.

Since the law passed, banks like JPMorgan, Citi, and Bank of America have publicly confirmed new crypto initiatives—including dollar-pegged stablecoins. The race is now on to control crypto’s entry into the U.S. banking system.

Coinbase's head of institutional business, Brett Tejpaul, said

What This Means for PNC Customers

With Coinbase handling the back end, PNC customers will soon be able to trade crypto just like stocks—directly from their bank interface. This gives users more control and transparency over digital assets without leaving the safety of a traditional financial institution.

But it’s not about meme coins or pump-and-dumps. According to Emma Loftus, PNC’s head of treasury management, the goal is “not to drive speculative trading but to help clients participate securely and conveniently.” She noted that many customers have already been moving money to outside crypto platforms, and now PNC wants to keep that flow in-house.

Coinbase Continues to Cement Itself as Crypto’s Institutional Backbone

For Coinbase, this is just the latest in a growing list of partnerships with traditional financial institutions. The exchange, once seen as a disruptor, is now becoming the default crypto engine for banks, offering plug-and-play infrastructure that complies with evolving regulations.

Meanwhile, some native crypto firms are still trying to go solo by applying for national trust bank charters. But this effort is being met with resistance from banking trade groups, which have petitioned U.S. regulators to slow down those approvals, fearing crypto firms may soon offer bank-like services outside of traditional oversight.

Legacy Banks No Longer Sitting on the Sidelines

What makes this partnership especially noteworthy is that PNC—founded in 1865 and self-branded as “Brilliantly Boring”—is embracing crypto without changing its image. It’s not pivoting into high-risk DeFi games, but offering digital assets in a way that fits within its trusted banking framework.

As other big banks follow suit, this deal is likely to serve as a model for how traditional financial players can meet crypto demand without alienating core customers or regulatory bodies.