Banca Sella has become the first bank in Italy authorized to provide cryptocurrency-related services under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.
The bank announced that it plans to launch digital asset custody, transfer, and receiving services for selected client categories during 2026. The approval became possible after the completion of the procedure предусмотренной under the MiCA framework, which regulates the crypto asset market across the EU.
Banca Sella said the new offering will primarily focus on custody services and digital asset transfers. As a result, the bank will become the first Italian banking institution officially cleared to operate in the cryptocurrency services segment under the new pan-European regulatory framework.
The development of digital asset services has been part of the bank’s long-term strategy since 2022. That year, Banca Sella joined the Fintech Milano Hub experimental program organized by the Bank of Italy and focused on distributed ledger technology (DLT).
Over the past few years, the bank has:
- created a dedicated team focused on DLT and digital assets;
- become one of the founding members of the Qivalis consortium;
joined Eurosystem projects related to deposit tokenization and digital payments, including Pontes and Appia.
The Qivalis consortium currently brings together 37 European banks and plans to launch a euro-denominated stablecoin by the end of 2026.
Andrea Tessera, Managing Director of Digital Banking at Banca Sella, said the development of instant, interoperable, and programmable payments is gradually reshaping Europe’s financial infrastructure. According to him, the bank’s investments in DLT and digital assets are aimed at creating safer and more efficient financial services aligned with European regulatory standards.
The bank also noted that the launch of crypto services is part of the broader transformation of Europe’s financial sector, driven by asset tokenization and the development of digital payment tools.
