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XRP is back in focus following reports of exposure from Italy’s largest banking group. The disclosure, highlighted by crypto analyst @Xfinancebull on X, reveals a position tied to the Grayscale XRP Trust, which has drawn renewed attention across the market as investors assess the scale and implications of the holding.
The $18 Million Position Making Waves
According to recent reports, Italian banking heavyweight Intesa Sanpaolo, a financial institution managing roughly $1.1 trillion in assets, expanded its cryptocurrency exposure substantially between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
Verified figures show that the institution’s crypto-related holdings climbed from approximately $100 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 to nearly $235 million by the end of March 2026. Within that expansion was a newly established position tied to the cryptocurrency through the Grayscale XRP Trust.
As of March 31, the bank held 712,319 shares of the Grayscale XRP Trust, a position valued at around $18 million. This makes it one of the most notable institutional allocations disclosed by a major European bank this year.
The exposure was not obtained through direct purchases of tokens on exchanges. Instead, the bank gained access through Grayscale’s investment trust product, which allows institutions to participate in XRP-related investments through regulated financial vehicles. That distinction matters because many traditional financial institutions still prefer regulated exposure routes instead of directly holding crypto assets on-chain.
The move immediately drew attention across the community, especially because it arrived during a period when parts of the market remained uncertain about short-term price direction. @Xfinancebull referenced the development as evidence that large institutions continue positioning themselves despite ongoing volatility in the broader crypto market.
XRP Is Part Of A Bigger Crypto Strategy
The XRP allocation was only one part of a much larger crypto expansion strategy unveiled during the quarter. Alongside the new XRP position, Intesa Sanpaolo also increased its Bitcoin exposure and added Ethereum-related 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 also grew significantly through several ETF-related products, including ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF and iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.
Interestingly, while exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP increased, the institution sharply reduced its position connected to Solana. Holdings tied to the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF reportedly fell from more than 266,000 shares at the end of 2025 to just 2,817 shares by March 2026. Rather than taking small experimental positions, the bank appears to be actively restructuring its crypto exposure across multiple major digital assets.
For XRP supporters, the $18 million position stands out because it represents participation from one of Europe’s largest financial institutions. Although the investment remains relatively small compared to the bank’s overall asset base, the move still adds to growing evidence that traditional financial players are increasingly willing to gain exposure to XRP-related products as the digital asset sector continues evolving.
