Banca Sella has been authorised by the Bank of Italy under MiCA to offer digital asset custody and transfer services.
The Italy-based private bank completed a 40-day regulatory notification process that clears it to launch digital asset services later in 2026. The initial offering will target selected corporate clients and cover the custody, transfer, and receipt of digital assets.
MiCA authorisation and compliance infrastructure
MiCA, which came into full effect for crypto-asset service providers across EU member states in December 2024, establishes a harmonised licensing framework that allows authorised institutions to passport services across the bloc. Banca Sella's authorisation under this framework positions it alongside approximately 20 European banks that have already secured equivalent licences, including Germany-based Commerzbank and LBBW, France-based Société Générale FORGE, and Spain-based BBVA.
In order to support the compliance requirements of its new digital asset infrastructure, Banca Sella has established a partnership with blockchain intelligence firm Chainalysis. The bank also conducted an internal digital asset pilot in collaboration with Fireblocks prior to this regulatory approval, indicating preparatory work had been underway before the formal licence was granted.
The bank's earlier retail crypto exposure was handled through Hype, its mobile banking venture. The newly licensed corporate-facing infrastructure represents a distinct and separately structured initiative.
Broader digital asset positioning
Beyond the MiCA licence, Banca Sella holds a role in several EU-level digital finance initiatives. The bank is a founding member of Qivalis, a consortium of 37 European banks working towards the issuance of a euro-denominated stablecoin in 2026. It is also participating in the Pontes and Appia projects, two EU initiatives focused on the tokenisation of deposits and payments, with the stated aim of reinforcing the bloc's financial and infrastructural autonomy.
These involvements reflect a broader strategic orientation towards programmable and interoperable financial infrastructure, a direction that a company official described as redefining financial systems at both European and global level.
The bank has not disclosed a specific launch date for its corporate crypto platform beyond indicating it will go live during 2026, nor has it detailed which asset classes or digital currencies will be supported at launch.
