XRP is back in the spotlight after reports emerged that Italy’s largest banking group has exposure to it. The disclosure, shared by crypto analyst @Xfinancebull on X, reveals a position linked to the Grayscale XRP Trust. This has caught the market’s attention as investors look into the size and meaning of the holding.
The $18 Million Position Making Waves
According to recent reports, Intesa Sanpaolo—an Italian banking giant managing around $1.1 trillion in assets—significantly increased its cryptocurrency holdings between late 2025 and early 2026. Verified data shows the bank’s crypto-related assets grew from about $100 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 to nearly $235 million by the end of March 2026. Part of that growth came from a new position in XRP through the Grayscale XRP Trust.
As of March 31, the bank held 712,319 shares of the Grayscale XRP Trust, valued at roughly $18 million. This makes it one of the most notable institutional investments disclosed by a major European bank this year. The exposure wasn’t gained by buying XRP directly on exchanges. Instead, the bank used Grayscale’s investment trust product, which offers institutions a regulated way to invest in XRP. That’s important because many traditional banks still prefer regulated investment routes over holding crypto directly.
The move quickly drew attention in the crypto community, especially since it came at a time when the market was uncertain about short-term price trends. @Xfinancebull pointed to this as proof that large institutions are still positioning themselves, even with ongoing volatility in the broader crypto market.
XRP Is Part Of A Bigger Crypto Strategy
The XRP allocation was just one piece of a larger crypto expansion plan the bank revealed for the quarter. Alongside the new XRP position, Intesa Sanpaolo also increased its Bitcoin holdings and added Ethereum investments for the first time. The bank reportedly gained Ethereum exposure through purchases linked to the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust. At the same time, its Bitcoin holdings grew significantly through several ETF products, including the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF and the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.
Interestingly, while exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP increased, the bank sharply reduced its position in Solana. Holdings tied to the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF reportedly dropped from over 266,000 shares at the end of 2025 to just 2,817 shares by March 2026.
Rather than making small experimental bets, the bank seems to be actively reshaping its crypto holdings across several major digital assets. For XRP supporters, the $18 million position stands out because it comes from one of Europe’s largest financial institutions. While the investment is still small compared to the bank’s total assets, it adds to growing evidence that traditional financial players are increasingly open to gaining exposure to XRP-related products as the digital asset space continues to evolve.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the news that a major Italian bank is moving to XRP
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q Is it true that a trilliondollar Italian bank is moving to XRP
A Yes reports indicate that a major Italian bank is integrating XRP into its payment systems However moving to XRP usually means using the technology for crossborder payments not necessarily buying billions of dollars worth of the coin
Q If the bank is using XRP doesnt that mean they bought a huge amount of it
A Not necessarily Banks often use XRP as a bridge currency for liquidity They buy XRP only when they need to settle a transaction and sell it immediately after They dont usually hold massive longterm positions of XRP on their balance sheets
Q So how much XRP did the bank actually buy
A The exact amount is usually not public For a single transaction they might buy a few million dollars worth of XRP to facilitate a payment The total amount they hold at any given time is likely far less than the banks total value
Q Does this mean XRP is a bank coin now
A XRP is used by banks for efficiency but it is a public cryptocurrency Anyone can buy or sell it The bank is using the technology not taking over the coin
Intermediate Advanced Questions
Q If the bank isnt holding XRP how does the price benefit from this news
A The price benefits from increased utility and volume If the bank moves billions of dollars in value using XRP it increases the demand for XRP in the short term Over time higher usage can reduce volatility and create a price floor even if the bank doesnt hodl
Q What is the difference between buying XRP for settlement and buying XRP as an investment
A
For settlement The bank buys XRP sends it across borders in seconds and sells it for local currency The holding time is minutes