Sella is the first bank in Italy to get permission to set up crypto-asset services

Banca Sella has completed the process of notification to the Bank of Italy as set out in the European MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) Regulation and is the first bank in Italy to be authorized to offer crypto-asset services, relating in particular to the custody and transfer of digital assets. 
 
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. 
 
This initiative, through which the Italian banking sector is joining other European and global ones already operating in this field, stems from the innovation path launched by Sella with its participation in the pilot project on distributed ledger technology (DLT) promoted in 2022 by the Bank of Italy’s Fintech Milano Hub. Sella has set up an in-house team specializing in DLT & Digital Assets and is among the founders of Qivalis, a consortium of 37 European banks that will issue a euro-denominated stablecoin and continues to closely monitor strategic developments in the tokenization of deposits and payments in the Eurosystem (Pontes and Appia projects). 
 
“The evolution of payments toward instant, interoperable, and programmable models - also driven by the tokenization of currencies and assets - is redefining financial infrastructures at European and global level,” said Andrea Tessera, Managing Director of Digital Banking at Banca Sella. “Our new service falls within this framework and will provide a tangible contribution to this transformation, both through a systemic approach and the offering of innovative solutions designed to effectively meet new customer needs with financial solutions that are increasingly efficient and secure. 
As we are aware of their potential to transform payment and settlement systems, over the last few years, we have been investing in technology infrastructure and building expertise in DLT and digital assets. To be the first Italian bank able to offer custody and transfer services for crypto assets is a major step, in line with the broader European transition towards new digital models, and lays the foundation for future developments across the board, from payments to tokenization, while ensuring confidence and stability in full compliance with regulatory requirements.”