Intesa Sanpaolo more than doubled its crypto exposure in Q1 2026, rising from roughly $100 million at the end of 2025 to about $235 million as of March 31, according to a report citing Criptovaluta.it. What changed - The bulk of the increase came from bigger Bitcoin ETF positions. Intesa boosted holdings in the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust — building on the nearly $100 million in Bitcoin ETF exposure the bank had disclosed at the end of 2025. - For the first time the bank added Ether exposure via BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, expanding its crypto footprint beyond Bitcoin and Solana-linked products. - Intesa also picked up XRP exposure through the Grayscale XRP Trust; that stake was valued at roughly $26 million in the report. The bank has not clarified whether the XRP position is held for proprietary trading or also tied to products for professional clients. - At the same time, Intesa sharply pared back its Solana exposure: its Bitwise Solana Staking ETF holding fell from 266,320 shares to just 2,817 — a near-total exit. What it signals The moves suggest a more selective, diversified approach to digital assets: increasing allocations to Bitcoin and adding Ether and XRP while largely removing Solana from the disclosed ETF portfolio. Context and history Intesa’s ramp-up builds on earlier, smaller crypto experiments. In January 2025 Reuters reported the bank bought 11 BTC (about €1 million) as a “test,” with CEO Carlo Messina noting, “We won’t become a bitcoin player.” The bank also has broader digital-asset ties — including custody infrastructure work with Ripple Custody (formerly Metaco). Wider market note European banks are increasingly building crypto services and settlement tools. Separately, Crypto.news reported a 12-bank consortium led by Qivalis picked Fireblocks to support a MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin slated for the second half of 2026. Sources: Criptovaluta.it, Crypto.news, Reuters.
Intesa Sanpaolo More Than Doubles Crypto Exposure to $235M in Q1 2026
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Summary
Intesa Sanpaolo boosted its crypto exposure to $235 million in Q1 2026, up from $100 million at year-end 2025. The bank added Ether and XRP, expanded Bitcoin ETF holdings, and nearly sold out of Solana. The move aligns with a value investing in crypto strategy, focusing on assets with strong risk-to-reward ratios. The shift follows early crypto experiments and signals a more active approach to digital assets.
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