Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, significantly increased its cryptocurrency-related holdings during the first quarter of 2026. According to the released data, the bank expanded its crypto-related assets from approximately $100 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 to around $235 million as of March 31.

Other

Joint trade groups representing the U.S. banking sector stated that stablecoin regulation under the CLARITY Act should be further tightened. In a joint statement, industry representatives specifically called for stricter limitations on interest-like rewards offered to stablecoin holders.

A group of financial and insurance organizations, including the American Bankers Association, has opposed the current version of the CLARITY Act. The bill was previously introduced by Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks.

South Korea is urging cryptocurrency exchanges to implement automatic trading curbs and stricter security measures after failures in internal controls exposed vulnerabilities capable of triggering sharp market disruptions. The Bank of Korea (BOK) warned that existing systems fall short of traditional financial standards.

Mykhailo Rohalskyi did not rule out the possibility of cryptocurrencies being introduced into the bank. He said this during a conversation with SPEKA.

In January 2023, officials of the Federal Reserve System (Fed) prohibited federal banks and regional uninsured banks from providing services related to digital assets, citing the high risks posed by virtual currencies. However, nearly three years later, officials decided to abolish this restriction, allegedly due to the progress achieved in the development of cryptocurrency products and services.

The American banking giant PNC Bank has become the first in the country to launch direct Bitcoin trading for its qualified corporate clients. To achieve this, the bank entered into a partnership with Coinbase, the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.

Philippine digital bank GoTyme has launched a service in its mobile app for purchasing and storing bitcoin, ether, Solana, Polkadot, and several other altcoins. The new feature is available to the bank’s 6.5 million customers.

The cryptocurrency market has entered a new phase: U.S. banks have received regulatory approval to custody Ethereum. Although this step was anticipated, few believed it would happen so quickly. It marks an important turning point: traditional finance is beginning to adopt blockchain innovation rather than resisting it.

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has authorized American banks to hold Ethereum as a primary asset. The new guidance indicates that the government is ready to support the use of digital assets within the banking sector.

The largest online lender in the U.S., SoFi Technologies, has launched its SoFi Crypto platform. It is the first nationally licensed bank to offer cryptocurrency trading to consumers.

Amina Bank CEO Franz Bergmueller announced that the new license will allow the bank to provide staking and custody services, crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto exchanges, and portfolio management to European Union residents.

Emma Loftus, head of PNC’s treasury management, told Bloomberg Tax that cryptocurrency trading will initially be available to clients of the bank’s investment offices that manage assets.