Irina Kessel, Product Owner of Digital Assets and 24/7 Banking Products at Avaloq, argued that banks should treat crypto assets as a strategic opportunity rather than a niche product, with client demand already visible while banking channels remain limited.

Speaking on the second day of Nexus Luxembourg 2026 at Luxexpo on 11 June, Kessel started the keynote by asking the audience how many had invested in or traded crypto assets. A visible portion of attendees raised their hands. When she then asked how many had done so through a bank, no hands were visible.

“Pretty much nobody,” she remarked, underlining her point. “That’s exactly the opportunity I would like to talk today, because as we can see, the demand is there, but the…