Banca Sella has completed the regulatory notification process with the Bank of Italy, positioning itself to become the first Italian bank to offer cryptocurrency-related services under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. The bank plans to launch digital asset custody, receipt, and transfer services before the end of 2026, initially targeting selected client categories. The move represents a watershed moment for Italy’s banking sector, as traditional financial institutions increasingly embrace regulated crypto services.
Under MiCA, credit institutions can provide certain crypto-asset services after notifying their national regulator, rather than undergoing the full authorization procedure required for non-bank providers. Banca Sella is a founding member of the Qivalis consortium, a group of 37 European banks developing a MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin, with a planned launch in the second half of 2026. The bank previously piloted crypto custody internally using Fireblocks technology in 2025. With approximately 1.4 million customers and over €66 billion in assets under custody, Banca Sella’s entry into crypto services could significantly boost mainstream adoption in Italy.
