Between 2023 and 2026, Italian authorities have sharply increased checks in the Register of Virtual Currency Service Providers as more Italians invest in digital assets. The OAM-managed registry, active since 2022, now serves as a key financial intelligence tool for Guardia di Finanza, police and supervisory bodies, which filed 27 information requests in 2023, 44 in 2024 and 107 in 2025. Early 2026 data already show dozens of new enquiries, as Italy prepares by 31 December to align its framework with the MiCAR rules that will convert VASPs into CASPs.

By the end of Q1 2024, Italian VASPs reported more than 1.17 million clients to the OAM, of whom 59% actually held crypto assets, for a total of over 1.06 billion euro. Two years later, by the close of Q1 2026, clients exceeded 2.52 million and the share of holders rose to 69%, but survey data show many investors still underestimate basic volatility and security risks. As the MiCA framework replaces the national registry, Italy risks losing a detailed quarterly view of domestic crypto activity.

Under the updated European DAC8 directive (Law Decree 194/2025), cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Italy must report all user transaction movements to the Agenzia delle Entrate, while users are required to declare their holdings and capital gains. From 2026 exchanges will collect data, in 2027 they will transmit it to national tax authorities, and in the following year the first automatic data exchange between countries is scheduled to begin, applying banking-style transparency to crypto accounts.

A group of ten major European banks, including Italy's Banca Sella and UniCredit, plans to issue Qivalis, a MiCA-compliant stablecoin pegged to the euro and expected to go live in the second half of 2026. The initiative aims to bridge traditional finance and blockchain in a market where about USD 300 billion in stablecoins are mostly dollar-denominated, but some observers question its adoption prospects and transaction costs.

On 9 February, a new Euronext Milan segment dedicated to certificates tied to major cryptocurrencies will begin trading, giving investors indirect exposure to digital assets. The products will replicate the performance of coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum without enabling spot crypto trading on the Milan Stock Exchange, and will operate within the current European regulatory framework. This move reflects growing investor demand and a cautious attempt by European finance to integrate crypto-assets into traditional markets.

According to the Blockchain and Web3 Observatory of the Politecnico di Milano, Italy closed 2025 with around 2.8 million crypto-asset holders, equal to 7% of the population, a lower share than France, Germany and Spain. The study also reports strong growth in stablecoins and blockchain projects, alongside a sizeable group of Italian consumers who are considering entering decentralised finance for the first time.