Italy’s Banca Sella has become the first bank in the country to receive a formal crypto services license from the nation’s central bank under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations. This approval marks a significant milestone both for Banca Sella and the Italian banking sector as the MiCA rules reshape crypto markets across Europe.
A new era in crypto services
Managing assets totaling 50 billion euros and serving over 3.1 million customers, Banca Sella completed all its regulatory obligations following a 40-day notification period. After officially obtaining its license, the bank announced plans to gradually launch crypto services for its customers, beginning later in the year.
According to the bank’s official statement, gaining approval as a crypto asset service provider will enable Banca Sella to offer digital asset custody, transfer, and purchase services to select client groups starting in 2026.
Technology partnerships and infrastructure
Initial crypto efforts by Banca Sella focused on individual customers through its digital banking subsidiary, Hype. More recently, the bank has developed a more robust infrastructure for corporate clients, drawing on compliance collaborations with blockchain intelligence company Chainalysis and an in-house digital asset pilot initiative with Fireblocks.
Quick explainer: Chainalysis is a blockchain analytics firm that helps track illicit crypto activity and supplies data to regulators.
With this MiCA license, Banca Sella joins the ranks of about 20 banking institutions across Europe offering regulated crypto asset services. This roster includes major players such as Germany’s Commerzbank and LBBW, France’s Société Générale FORGE, and Spain’s BBVA.
| Banka / Kuruluş | Ülke | MiCA Lisansı | Kripto Hizmeti Başlama Tarihi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banca Sella | Italy | 2024 | 2024 (pilot), 2026 (full launch) |
| Commerzbank | Germany | 2023 | 2024 |
| Société Générale FORGE | France | 2023 | 2023 |
| BBVA | Spain | 2022 | 2023 |
Stablecoin and tokenization initiatives
Banca Sella is also a founding member of the Qivalis consortium, which includes 37 European banks working to issue a euro-based stablecoin later this year. The bank is actively involved in Pontes and Appia, two projects designed to tokenize deposits and payments across the EU.
Through these efforts, Banca Sella says its objective is both to support Europe’s financial independence and to bridge traditional banking with advanced digital infrastructure.
Outlook for Europe’s financial infrastructure
Andrea Tessera, general manager for digital banking at Banca Sella, emphasized that the tokenization of money and assets is accelerating the shift toward instant, interoperable, and programmable payments models—helping redefine financial infrastructure not just in Europe, but globally.
