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The cantonal bank of Ticino is entering the crypto world. BancaStato, established in 1915 and located in southern Switzerland, has just launched a regulated cryptocurrency trading service — with Bitcoin at the forefront — directly accessible through its existing web and mobile applications. This announcement was made by Sygnum, the bank specializing in digital assets.
No new app to download, no separate account to open. BancaStato customers can now buy, hold, and sell Bitcoin using the same interfaces they use for their current accounts, transfers, and savings. The idea is to make crypto as routine as a bank transfer. In practice, the bank has integrated Sygnum’s API directly into its central banking system Avaloq — which it has used in SaaS mode for years — and its digital channels. The result: Bitcoin transactions occur in the same environment as traditional operations, with no visible friction for the user.
From the launch, clients can place market orders for Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies, based either on a specific quantity or a value in US dollars.
Off-Balance Sheet Custody and No Separate Order System
The issue of asset custody is often a sticking point in such setups. BancaStato has opted for an institutional-grade custody solution, subject to independent external audits. Clients’ assets are separated from the bank’s balance sheet — meaning that in the event of bankruptcy, clients’ Bitcoins are not part of the assets to be liquidated. This is a concrete protection, not just marketing.
The integration relies on Sygnum’s B2B API, without a separate order management system. Fewer technological layers, lower costs, less operational complexity. BancaStato thus becomes the first bank in Avaloq’s SaaS environment to enable the purchase, holding, and sale of cryptos via an API with Sygnum, directly from its online banking platforms. First to do this in this specific setup — not insignificant.
Curzio De Gottardi, head of the bank’s products and services, sees this launch as a natural extension of the existing offering, which combines traditional and digital assets in a single customer experience.
BancaStato Joins a Network of Over 25 Swiss Institutions
BancaStato is not alone in this venture. It joins Zuger Kantonalbank and over 25 other banks and financial institutions already on Sygnum’s B2B platform. Sygnum says its partner banks collectively offer access to digital assets to more than a third of the Swiss population. That’s quite a number.
Other cantonal banks have moved into the same space recently. Zürcher Kantonalbank — the country’s fourth-largest bank — has introduced Bitcoin trading and custody. St. Galler Kantonalbank has opened Bitcoin purchasing and custody to its retail clients. The trend is clear: Swiss banks are integrating crypto, not as a gimmick, but as a standard service.
Sygnum, for its part, is not limited to brokerage. The bank has developed Bitcoin-backed loans, including a partnership with Relai for BTC-backed loans, and a $50 million syndicated loan backed by Bitcoins for the company Ledn. Two very different operations, same logic: monetize Bitcoin without selling it.
And then there’s the license. Sygnum holds a Swiss banking license, but also — since June 30, 2026 — a crypto asset service provider license under the EU’s crypto asset market regulation, granted by the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority. Not just symbolic: it allows EU banks to rely on Sygnum’s infrastructure to launch their own digital asset services. Other providers operate from the same jurisdiction — notably Bitcoin Suisse — but Sygnum is clearly playing the European expansion card with this accreditation.
What does this change for EU banks still hesitating? Probably another argument to take the plunge without building the entire infrastructure from scratch. Using Sygnum as a building block is faster, and regulatory-wise, it holds up. It’s not yet clear how many institutions will seize the opportunity, but the license has been in place for less than a month.
BancaStato, $50 million syndicated loan at Ledn, over a third of Swiss people with access to digital assets via Sygnum partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can BancaStato clients trade Bitcoin?
Directly from the bank’s existing web and mobile applications, via an API integration between Sygnum and the Avaloq banking system — without a separate app or distinct crypto account.
Are clients’ Bitcoins protected in case of BancaStato’s bankruptcy?
Yes. The assets are held in an institutional custody solution separate from the bank’s balance sheet, subject to independent external audits, which protects clients in the event of bankruptcy.
What is new about the Sygnum license obtained in June 2026?
Sygnum received a crypto asset service provider license under the EU’s MiCA regulation, granted by the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority on June 30, 2026, allowing European banks to use its infrastructure to launch digital asset services.
