The Dutch central bank (DNB) has issued a warning on bitcoin aimed at banks and other financial institutions in the country.

Unlike most warnings issued by regulators and central banks across the globe, the Dutch warning does not address end-users of digital currency. Instead, the central bank clearly states that banks and payment institutions should be aware of integrity risks derived from processing transactions related to digital currencies.

The warning (dated 5th June 2014) points out that digital currencies offer a high degree of anonymity so financial institutions should tread carefully, as digital currencies are classified as financial products “with a very high risk profile”.

The bank notes that digital currency transactions seem very transparent at first glance, due to the use of a public ledger. However, the bank warns:

The relatively high degree of anonymity carries implications for banks and payment institutions open to digital currencies. Because they are anonymous, there is no direct link between the parties trading digital currencies or making purchases in said currencies.

The central bank warns that the act of accepting business from a bitcoin operator could have an indirect effect on the reputation of a bank or payments service.

It expressed doubts over the ability of financial institutions to keep track of questionable transactions carried out using digital currencies before they process them, outlining the risk:

The bank also announced that it will determine whether banks and payment institutions involved in the digital currency space can assess these risks.

There is no specific date for the control measures, but the bank says it will begin rolling them out this year in an effort to improve customer experience and monitor “new and innovative” companies.

For the time being, Holland is one of the more liberal countries in Europe when it comes to bitcoin. It has attracted a number of bitcoin startups and some established companies are getting involved, including local payments processors.

In turn, bitcoin businesses are booming in the country despite the fact that the central bank still insists digital currencies are not a viable alternative to fiat currency.