Intesa Sanpaolo Boosts Crypto Holdings to $235 Million

Italy's largest bank by assets, Intesa Sanpaolo, has significantly increased its exposure to cryptocurrencies. The bank now holds approximately $235 million in crypto assets, more than double its previous holding of around $100 million at the end of 2025.

This expansion includes new asset classes and the use of derivatives for the first time. The bank added positions in BlackRock's iShares Staked Ethereum Trust (ETH) and Grayscale XRP Trust ETF, giving it exposure to Ethereum (ETH) and XRP for the first time.

Intesa also opened a position in iShares Bitcoin Trust call options, marking its first derivatives trade in the crypto space. The bank had previously stated that its crypto holdings are held for proprietary trading purposes.

The bank's stake in Solana (SOL) has been reduced significantly, with Intesa cutting its holding in the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF from 266,320 shares to just 2,817. No reason was given for this reduction.