Discovery Bank has teamed up with global crypto asset platform Luno in a groundbreaking move, becoming the first bank in Africa to offer crypto asset trading directly through its mobile banking app.
This landmark move, launching in December 2025, will provide Discovery Bank clients with seamless, real-time access to trade and track crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, all while earning Vitality Money rewards. This firmly establishes cryptocurrency as a mainstream, accessible asset class within a managed banking environment.
Through this first-of-its-kind integration with Luno, Discovery Bank clients will be able to link their accounts for a seamless and secure experience. They can buy, hold, and sell more than 50 crypto assets directly through the Discovery Bank app.
Christo de Wit, Luno’s South African Country Manager, said, “We’re truly excited about this partnership between two innovative South African brands. By integrating crypto assets into the Discovery banking app, we’re advancing our mission to upgrade the world to a better financial system. We’re proud to be powering this first-of-its-kind solution in Africa for one of South Africa’s iconic institutions.” De Wit explains, “By integrating crypto assets into Discovery Bank’s platform, we’re not just making cryptocurrencies more accessible to everyday users, but we’re proving that blockchain technology and crypto assets are strategic long-term tools for financial institutions.”
This partnership is Luno’s first large-scale institutional partnership and serves as a blueprint for financial institutions to incorporate crypto assets and blockchain technology into their systems. Both Luno and Discovery Bank operate under South African regulatory frameworks, ensuring consumer protections and compliance standards of the highest order. Both organizations prioritize a sustainable approach to growth over rapid scaling. Discovery Bank, recognized globally for its shared value banking model, brings more than a million accounts and more than ten million monthly logins to the partnership.
De Wit added, “When a trusted and innovative institution like Discovery Bank integrates crypto assets into its core banking experience, it signals that crypto assets are maturing, moving from niche to mainstream. Responsible, regulated adoption is the future. Mainstream adoption of crypto assets is built on partnerships like this.”
