Gruppo BCC Iccrea

What Gruppo BCC Iccrea does

Gruppo BCC Iccrea is the largest Italian cooperative banking group, headquartered in Rome and constituted with Iccrea Banca S.p.A. as its Capogruppo (parent/central institution). The Group consolidates approximately 132 Banche di Credito Cooperativo (BCC) and operates 2,414 branches distributed across Italy (1,072 North, 964 Central, 378 South), serving families, individuals, small and medium enterprises, the third sector, and financially excluded populations. Over 81% of total customer lending (exceeding €94 billion at end-2023) is directed to families and SMEs, with €7.6 billion in social impact financing and €748 million in environmental impact financing.

The Group's product surface spans traditional retail and SME banking (deposits, mortgages, loans, payment services, insurance) alongside a digital stack that includes the RelaxBanking home banking portal (integrated with the BCC Soci loyalty platform) and the CBI Globe open banking ecosystem, which provides a PSD2-compliant dedicated interface for Third Party Providers and exempt from Bank of Italy's fallback mechanism obligation. Specialized portals (OBIETTIVO ESG for SME sustainability assessment, BCC PNRR RADAR for National Recovery Plan funding access, EduFin financial education portal) sit atop the banking layer. The Group also operates social finance programs, notably CooperaDAD with Caritas Italiana, and runs the BCC Innovation Festival and BCC Innovation Week open-innovation programs, with Accenture as main sponsor of the 2025 edition.

Revenues are generated primarily through net interest income on loans and deposits, fee and commission income, and recurring issuance of green, social, and sustainability bonds (most recently a €500 million Senior Preferred Green Bond in January 2025, following Social Bonds in 2021, 2023, and 2024). The go-to-market model is community-led: cooperative banks retain local decision-making while coordinating through the central institution for shared services, risk management, and strategic direction. ESG is integrated into strategy rather than treated as a peripheral theme, evidenced by MSCI 'A', Morningstar Sustainalytics 'Low' risk, Moody's A2 sustainability rating, and repeated Leader della Sostenibilità recognition (2021–2025).

Name

Gruppo BCC Iccrea

Legal name

Iccrea Banca S.p.A.

Website

https://gruppobcciccrea.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Gruppo BCC Iccrea is Italy's largest cooperative banking group, operating a nationwide network of approximately 132 BCC member banks and 2,414 branches through Iccrea Banca S.p.A. as its central institution. It serves families, SMEs, third-sector organizations, and financially excluded populations with retail and SME banking, open banking infrastructure, ESG and PNRR advisory portals, and social finance programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), Commercial Banks, Nec (6029)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (BPAEAPAA), Regulatory Change, Governance & Compliance Management (GRC) (FSACAJAK), IT Governance, Risk & Compliance (IT GRC) Platforms (HDAEALAK)

Keywords

• Cooperative banking
• Retail banking
• Corporate banking
• Digital banking
• Open banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Banking Services - Interest Income: Traditional banking operations generating revenue through interest spreads on loans, mortgages, and credit facilities extended to individuals, families, and SMEs. The Group's loan portfolio is predominantly directed toward families and small-medium enterprises (over 81% of total lending).
2. Fee and Commission Income: Revenue from banking fees, commissions on payment services, account management, and financial advisory services.
3. Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Issuances: Issuance of green, social, and sustainability bonds. In January 2025, BCC Banca Iccrea completed a 500 million euro Senior Preferred green bond placement. Previously issued three Social Bonds (November 2021, January 2023, January 2024) totaling significant amounts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Gruppo BCC Iccrea is an Italian cooperative banking group that provides banking, financial, and credit products and services to individuals, families, and businesses through a national network of BCC (Banche di Credito Cooperativo) member banks. It operates as the central institution for the Italian cooperative credit system, offering retail banking, corporate banking, wealth management, and digital banking services supported by proprietary platforms such as RelaxBanking and CBI Globe.

Product overview

Gruppo BCC Iccrea is the parent company of the Cooperative Banking Group Iccrea, Italy's largest cooperative banking group comprising approximately 90 BCC (Banche di Credito Cooperativo) member banks. The group operates as a multi-product financial services organization offering core banking products (loans, deposits, mortgages, insurance) alongside digital platforms including RelaxBanking (home banking), the CBI Globe open banking platform for PSD2 compliance, and specialized portals for ESG assessment (Obiettivo ESG), financial education (EduFin Portal), and SME support (PNRR RADAR). Innovation initiatives include the BCC Innovation Festival and BCC Innovation Week programs, while the BCC Soci loyalty platform integrates directly with RelaxBanking. The group also supports social finance through CooperaDAD microcredit programs with Caritas Italiana. With 2,414 branches across Italy, the group serves families, SMEs, and local communities with a focus on sustainable and inclusive finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BCC Arte&Cultura: Cultural and artistic integration initiative of the cooperative banking group
• CooperaDAD
• BCC Soci
• RelaxBanking

Products and services

• RelaxBanking Digital banking platform provided to BCC member banks and their retail/business customers for online and mobile banking.
• CBI Globe Open banking and corporate banking integration platform supporting PSD2-compliant APIs and corporate banking services for the BCC cooperative banking network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 81% of lending directed to families and SMEs
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ente Nazionale del MicrocreditocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Framework agreement with the Ente Nazionale del Microcredito, a public non-economic entity that exercises important functions in microcredit and microfinance at national and international levels. The agreement coordinates Group-level projects for affiliated BCCs in business microcredit, providing access to certified microcredit tutors and dedicated IT systems.
• Valore DminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Association promoting gender balance and inclusive culture for company and country growth, based on the principle that diversity of gender, generations, and cultures represents a factor of innovation and competitiveness. Gruppo joined in 2021.
• Forum per la Finanza SostenibileminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Associate member since 2019 of the Forum per la Finanza Sostenibile, a non-profit association founded in 2001 whose mission is to promote knowledge and practice of sustainable investment, with the objective of integrating environmental, social, and governance criteria into financial products and processes.
• ASviS - Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo SostenibileminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Associate member since 2019 of ASviS, whose mission is to grow awareness of the importance of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development among Italian society, economic entities, and institutions.
• CBI Consortium - CBI GlobecoreTechnology or Integration · 25 September 2018CBI Globe - Global Open Banking Ecosystem is a platform developed by the CBI Consortium to support payment service providers (PSPs) in meeting PSD2 requirements. The service provides dedicated interfaces for Third Party Providers (TPPs) enabling account information services and payment initiation through home banking. Gruppo BCC Iccrea participates in this open banking ecosystem.
• PerMicrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFramework agreement with PerMicro, Italy's leading microcredit operator specializing in lending to vulnerable individuals throughout the country. Affiliated BCCs can refer potential microcredit clients to PerMicro for indirect microcredit operations. PerMicro is partially owned by Group affiliated banks Emilbanca and Banca Alpi Marittime.
• Cassa del MicrocreditominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral agreement with Cassa del Microcredito, a company registered in the microcredit operators list. Provides nationwide microcredit operations, predominantly connected to Confesercenti entrepreneurial representation.
• FidipersonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral agreement with Fidipersona, reserved for BCCs in the Marche region. Four affiliated BCCs (Banca di Pesaro, Banca di Filottrano, Banca del Piceno, BCC di Ostra e Morro d'Alba) are among Fidipersona's financial partners.
• Consulta Nazionale Antiusura Giovanni Paolo IIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFramework agreement with the Consulta Nazionale delle Fondazioni e Associazioni Antiusura Italiane Giovanni Paolo II ONLUS to strengthen affiliated BCCs' commitment to financial inclusion, historically integrated into the social purpose of credit cooperation.
• Caritas ItalianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Caritas Italiana through CooperaDAD initiative for social credit programs supporting vulnerable families at risk of educational marginalization for children due to lack of tools for distance learning. Also includes Formula Bene Comune partnership with Cattolica Assicurazioni for third sector protection.
• European Microfinance NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in the European Microfinance Network, a non-profit organization based in Brussels that promotes microfinance as a tool to combat financial and social exclusion in Europe through self-employment and micro-enterprise creation.
• Fondazione Giovanni Dalle Fabbriche - Multifor ETSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdherence to the Fondazione Giovanni Dalle Fabbriche which facilitates youth entry into the labor market, supports territory economic development with particular attention to the cooperative world, and promotes civic, charitable, and social utility initiatives through scholarships, research, Erasmus Plus, and internships.
• Fondazione del Credito Cooperativo - Fondazione Tertio Millennio ETScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Fondazione del Credito Cooperativo ETS, a non-profit philanthropic entity registered in the National Third Sector Register, promoting cooperative credit values, mutualistic and social solidarity culture through training projects for youth and communities on financial education. Over 80 Group BCCs adhere to this Foundation.
• UNICO Banking ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICO Banking Forum brings together major European cooperative banking groups including Gruppo BCC Iccrea, Banco Cooperativo Español (Spain), Credit Agricole S.A. (France), DZ Bank AG (Germany), OP Financial Group (Finland), and Raiffeisen Bank International (Austria). Gruppo served as Lead Bank for the 2021-2023 period. Sustainability is among the most frequent topics in meeting agendas.
• Federcasse and ConfcooperativecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFedercasse is the national federation of Banche di Credito Cooperativo and Casse Rurali, performing activities for BCCs similar to what ABI does for the Italian banking system. Confcooperative is the main recognized organization for representation, assistance, and protection of the cooperative movement and social enterprises.
• FinServiceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFramework agreement with FinService, a leading company in facilitated finance, to support Italian businesses in accessing PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) resources. FinService provides expertise in subsidized finance.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain sponsor of BCC Innovation Festival 2025, bringing extensive experience in digital transformation and sustainability. Accenture will facilitate winners' access to its ecosystem of projects, partners, suppliers, and clients for potential synergies.
• Knowledge InstitutecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic consulting partner supporting the BCC Innovation Festival, providing expertise in identifying and developing innovative business ideas and facilitating growth and market positioning.
• FEduF - Fondazione per l'Educazione Finanziaria e al RisparmiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate member of FEduF, established at ABI's initiative to promote financial education as a citizenship competency. The partnership provides Group BCCs access to FEduF's services and support for financial education initiatives in their territories.
• Cattolica AssicurazionicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Formula Bene Comune initiative providing protection guarantees for third sector entities and volunteers working for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Intesa Sanpaolo: Largest Italian banking group by assets; competes with Gruppo BCC Iccrea in Italian SME and retail lending but operates a joint-stock, profit-driven model rather than cooperative.
• Crédit Agricole: Major French mutualist banking group and fellow UNICO Banking Forum member; comparable cooperative structure, retail/SME focus, and European cooperative banking ethos, though larger and more diversified.
• DZ Bank: Central institution of the German cooperative banking sector (Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken) and UNICO Banking Forum peer; directly comparable role as central institution for an affiliated cooperative bank network.
• Raiffeisen Bank International: Austrian cooperative-affiliated banking group and UNICO Banking Forum member; comparable cooperative banking heritage, retail/SME lending focus, and Central European footprint overlap with Italian cross-border clients.
• OP Financial Group: Finnish cooperative banking group and UNICO Banking Forum peer; directly comparable mutual ownership model and member-focused retail banking, though operating in a different national market.
• Desjardins Group: Canadian cooperative financial group; comparable cooperative banking model, retail and SME focus, and integrated digital banking services, operating in a different geography.
• UniCredit: Major Italian/European universal bank; competes for SME and corporate lending but structured as a publicly traded company rather than cooperative.

Regional players

• Banco Cooperativo Español: Spanish cooperative banking group and fellow UNICO Banking Forum member; directly comparable cooperative structure and central-institution role for affiliated rural/cooperative banks, operating in Spain rather than Italy.

Others

• Federcasse: National federation of Italian Banche di Credito Cooperativo; not a peer in the lending sense but the trade body and representative organization coordinating the BCC system alongside Gruppo BCC Iccrea.

Direct peers

• Cassa Centrale Banca: Italian cooperative banking group serving as central institution for the Credito Cooperativo network; directly comparable as the second large Italian cooperative banking group with similar BCC affiliation model and mutualist mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gruppoiccrea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYZtPrZBWBbgMSYwmaAFBmw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gruppobcciccrea
• Instagraminstagram.com/gruppo_bcc_iccrea

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gruppo BCC Iccrea