# Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest bank, significantly expanded its exposure to crypto assets in the first quarter of 2026.

*fintech · news · 2026-05-17 · Crypto Breaking News*

## Key points

- Intesa Sanpaolo more than doubled its crypto holdings to $235 million in Q1 2026.
- The bank added new Ethereum and XRP exposures via regulated BlackRock and Grayscale ETFs.
- Intesa exited nearly all of its Solana exposure, reducing Bitwise Solana Staking ETF holdings from 266,320 to 2,817 shares.
- For the first time, Intesa entered crypto derivatives with iShares Bitcoin Trust call options.
- Intesa opened a BitGo stake and materially increased Coinbase exposure, signaling preference for established crypto infrastructure equities.

**Companies:** Intesa Sanpaolo, BlackRock, Coinbase, ARK, 20Shares, Grayscale, BitGo, Cantor Equity Partners II, Securitize
**Countries:** Italy, Spain, France, Germany

[Read the full story on Crypto Breaking News](https://www.cryptobreaking.com/italys-biggest-bank-deepens-crypto/)

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