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Italy's Largest Bank Slashed Bitcoin ETF Holdings to Triple Its Staked Ether Bet
Intesa Sanpaolo cut its iShares Bitcoin Trust stake by about ninety‑four percent to 40,723 shares and tripled its staked Ether ETF holdings to 349,600 shares in the second quarter of 2026.
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What happened
Intesa Sanpaolo cut its iShares Bitcoin Trust stake by about ninety‑four percent to 40,723 shares and tripled its staked Ether ETF holdings to 349,600 shares in the second quarter of 2026.
Confirmed
Global impact / market context
The bank moved money from Bitcoin, which can swing sharply in price, to Ether staking that pays regular rewards, showing a shift toward crypto assets that generate steady income.
Analyst inference
Investors are watching large banks re‑balance crypto holdings as regulators tighten rules and market swings make yield‑producing assets like Ether staking more attractive than volatile Bitcoin exposure.
Analyst inference
What to watch
- If other European banks also reduce Bitcoin positions and increase Ether staking exposure, it could signal a broader industry trend. Analyst inference
- New regulatory guidance on crypto staking products, which may change how attractive Ether‑based ETFs are for banks. Proposed
- The relative performance of Ether staking rewards versus Bitcoin price moves, which will influence future allocation choices by institutions. Analyst inference
Affected assets
- BTC — Bitcoin