Banca Sella gained formal approval under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, marking the first time an Italian bank has received authorization to offer regulated crypto-asset services. This authorization enables the bank to introduce solutions focused on the custody, transfer, and receipt of digital assets for select customer groups by 2026.
The approval represents a significant milestone for Italy’s banking sector, as financial institutions across Europe move from experimental crypto pilots toward fully licensed digital asset offerings. Banca Sella’s advancement signals a shift to regulated frameworks for custody, tokenized payments, and stablecoin infrastructures, aligning with evolving industry standards.
Banca Sella, the commercial banking arm of the Sella Group, operates nearly 300 branches and employs more than 2,400 staff. The bank has built on prior crypto-related initiatives, including its involvement in a distributed ledger technology pilot organized by the Bank of Italy’s Fintech Milano Hub. This proactive approach also includes founding membership in Qivalis, a consortium of 37 European banks developing a euro-denominated stablecoin.
Prior to the MiCA approval, Banca Sella had indirect crypto exposure through its digital banking brand Hype, which integrated Bitcoin wallet services via a partnership with Italian firm Conio. Since 2020, Hype has allowed retail customers to buy, sell, send, and receive Bitcoin directly within its app, offering early crypto access on a regulated platform.
Andrea Tessera, managing director of digital banking at Banca Sella, emphasized that tokenization is driving payments toward becoming “instant, interoperable, and programmable.” He framed the forthcoming crypto-asset services as integral to this transformation in financial transactions.
According to public data, Banca Sella serves approximately 1.3 million customers, while its Hype digital brand reaches around 1.7 million users, positioning the bank well for delivering crypto capabilities within an established client base.