REGULATION | Banca Sella Becomes First Italian Bank to Offer Crypto Services in the Country

Italy’s banking sector is stepping deeper into crypto.

Italian lender, Banca Sella, has become the first bank in the country to secure approval under the EU’s MiCA framework to offer crypto-asset services marking a milestone for traditional finance adoption in Europe.

The bank said it completed the Bank of Italy’s notification process paving the way for the rollout of digital-asset custody, transfer, and receipt services later in 2026 for selected corporate clients.

According to the bank’s statement, the service will target selected client groups, including corporate and institutional customers. Banca Sella however it did not explicitly describe services for buying or selling cryptocurrencies.

In a statement, the bank said:

“Being approved as a crypto-asset services provider will enable Banca Sella to launch in 2026 a solution dedicated to the custody, transfer and receipt of digital assets aimed at selected categories of customers.”

Banca Sella oversees more than €50 billion ($54 billion) in assets and serves over 3.1 million customers, according to the company.

The move highlights how Europe’s landmark Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules are giving regulated lenders a clearer path into digital assets as banks increasingly focus on custody and tokenized payment infrastructure rather than speculative crypto trading.

Sella is also part of Qivalis, a consortium of 37 European banks exploring a euro-denominated stablecoin initiative, underscoring the region’s broader push toward tokenized finance and programmable payments.

Stay tuned to BitKE for deeper insights into the European crypto space.

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