- Intesa Sanpaolo increased its crypto-related holdings from about $100 million to $235 million in Q1.
- The bank expanded positions in Bitcoin ETFs and added Ethereum and XRP-related investments.
- Intesa sharply reduced its Solana exposure while increasing its Coinbase share holdings.
Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, increased its crypto-related exposure during the first quarter of 2026, according to data published by Criptovaluta and shared by Wu Blockchain. The bank’s digital asset holdings climbed from nearly $100 million in late 2025 to around $235 million by March 31, after expanding positions tied to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP while cutting exposure to Solana-linked products.
Intesa Expands Bitcoin Positions
Intesa Sanpaolo increased its holdings across several Bitcoin investment products during the quarter. According to the filing, the bank raised its ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF position to 3,607,565 shares from 2,488,765 shares previously.
At the same time, its BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust holdings rose to 646,809 shares from 470,409 shares. The bank also added call options tied to the iShares Bitcoin Trust, totaling 2,496,500 shares by March 31.
However, smaller positions linked to Grayscale Bitcoin Trust and Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust remained unchanged. Those holdings stayed at 871 shares and 174 shares respectively.
The latest filing also showed a more active trading strategy around Bitcoin-linked products during the quarter.
Ethereum And XRP Enter Portfolio
Beyond Bitcoin, Intesa added Ethereum exposure for the first time through BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust. The bank held 3,147,918 shares of the product as of March 31.
Meanwhile, the bank also opened a new Ripple-related position through Grayscale XRP Trust. According to the filing, Intesa held 712,319 shares valued at nearly $18 million.
The move expanded the bank’s crypto allocation beyond Bitcoin-focused products. Previously, Intesa confirmed that its crypto-linked holdings were tied to proprietary trading activities.
Solana Exposure Falls
While Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP exposure increased, Intesa sharply reduced its Solana position. Its Bitwise Solana Staking ETF holdings dropped from 266,320 shares to only 2,817 shares during the quarter.
Additionally, the bank increased its Coinbase position from 1,500 shares to 10,357 shares. According to the filing, the portfolio adjustments reflected a broader reshaping of Intesa’s crypto-linked investments during Q1 2026.
