Independent guide · checked 2 November 2026

Banks in Italy, compared for people from abroad

Every major Italian bank with its SWIFT and ABI codes, whether you can open an account without living here, and what its ATMs charge a foreign card. Updated for the 2026 mergers.

Compare the main Italian banks

14 banks that matter to visitors, expats and anyone paying an Italian account. Search by name or code, filter by type, and open a bank for its full guide.

The main banks in Italy, roughly by size within each group. Codes are head-office codes. Checked 2 November 2026.
SWIFT / BICABIWithout residency?Foreign-card ATM fee
Intesa SanpaoloMajor banking groupBCITITMM03069TurinYes, in branch€0 to about €3 operator fee reported
UniCreditMajor banking groupUNCRITMM02008MilanYes, in branch€0 to about €3 operator fee reported
Banco BPMNational bankBAPPIT2105034MilanAsk the branchOften no operator fee reported
BPER BancaNational bankBPMOIT2205387ModenaYes, in branchFees of up to €5 reported
Monte dei Paschi di SienaNational bankPASCITMM01030SienaAsk the branchFee shown on screen
BNL BNP ParibasForeign-owned bankBNLIITRR01005RomeAsk the branchNo fee for Bank of America cards; often none for others
Crédit Agricole ItaliaForeign-owned bankCRPPIT2P06230ParmaAsk the branchOften no operator fee reported
Poste Italiane (BancoPosta)Postal bankBPPIITRR07601RomeLimitedPostamat ATMs; fee shown on screen
FinecoBankDigital bankFEBIITM103015MilanYes, in branchNo own ATMs; plan-dependent
Banca MediolanumAdviser-led bankMEDBITMM03062BasiglioAsk the branchNo own ATMs
Mediobanca PremierNational bankMICSITM103058MilanAsk the branchFew own ATMs
Banca SellaRegional bankSELBIT2B03268BiellaAsk the branchFee shown on screen
CredemRegional bankBACRIT2203032Reggio EmiliaAsk the branchFee shown on screen
Deutsche Bank ItaliaForeign-owned bankDEUTITMM03104MilanAsk the branchFee shown on screen

14 banks

Start with what you need

Italian banking changed fast: 2021 to 2026

Many bank names you will find in old guides no longer exist. This is where they went.

  1. UBI Banca is merged into Intesa Sanpaolo; about 500 branches go to BPER.

  2. BPER buys Banca Carige. Crédit Agricole Italia absorbs Creval.

  3. CheBanca! is renamed Mediobanca Premier.

  4. UniCredit withdraws its offer for Banco BPM.

  5. Monte dei Paschi takes control of Mediobanca.

  6. Banca Popolare di Sondrio is merged into BPER Banca.

  7. Crédit Agricole lifts its Banco BPM stake to about 29%.

  8. MPS shareholders reject merging Mediobanca; Intesa Sanpaolo’s offer for MPS is pending.

Banks and ATMs by city

Which banks to look for, local bank holidays and how to avoid expensive cash machines in Italy’s most visited cities.

Banks in Italy: quick answers

What are the biggest banks in Italy?

Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit are by far the largest banks in Italy, with total assets of roughly €960 billion and €870 billion at the end of 2025. Banco BPM, BPER Banca and the Monte dei Paschi–Mediobanca group form the next tier.

Which Italian banks let foreigners open an account?

Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BPER Banca and FinecoBank open accounts for non-residents, usually in person and always with a codice fiscale. Revolut offers Italian IBANs through its app. See best banks in Italy for foreigners.

Is the Bank of Italy a bank I can use?

No. The Bank of Italy (Banca d’Italia) is the central bank. It supervises banks and does not offer accounts to the public. The banks people use are commercial banks such as Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and Poste Italiane.

How do I find an Italian bank from its IBAN?

Characters 6 to 10 of an Italian IBAN are the ABI code, which identifies the bank. Paste the IBAN into our Italian IBAN checker to validate it and see the bank’s name and SWIFT code.