€20bn plan to support small businesses in retail, tourism and crafts
8 October 2026
Intesa Sanpaolo is introducing new measures to support the growth of small and micro businesses operating in the retail, tourism and crafts sectors. The initiative includes zero POS fees on in-store card payments of up to €20, generating an estimated €100 million in cost savings for merchants, as well as €20 billion in new lending through financing solutions offered on preferential terms. As part of the programme, the Bank will cover the interest portion of the first instalment on new loans, as well as the final instalments due in 2027 and 2028.
The initiative aims to support Italy’s local economy, which is made up of more than 4.4 million micro enterprises, strengthening their competitiveness while helping them address key challenges such as energy costs, digital transformation, workforce skills development and employment protection.
The plan is fully aligned with the Bank’s mission, which includes:
- supporting local communities across the country
- promoting neighbourhood economies and working families
- protecting employment
- fostering dialogue with business associations and entrepreneurs.
The measures are the result of ongoing consultation and collaboration with Confcommercio, Federalberghi and Confartigianato, with whom Intesa Sanpaolo has renewed existing agreements and strengthened a new long-term partnership framework.
“Our strategic agreement with Confcommercio, Federalberghi and Confartigianato aims to foster development, competitiveness and innovation: we will do this with €20 billion in new credit and with our new measures announced today. In fact, the Bank will bear the interest on the first instalment of new loans and on those at the end of 2027 and the end of 2028, with an estimated saving of €600 for each business, while the abolition of fees for POS transactions below €20 will enable each merchant to save €450”
Carlo Messina, CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo
In this way, Intesa Sanpaolo will contribute to the local economies by returning approximately €100 million in the form of lower costs over a period of 14 months.
A closer look at the measures for businesses
The new measures are designed for the small and micro businesses that form the backbone of local economies, including retailers, service providers, hospitality businesses and artisan workshops. They include:
- Zero fees on in-store POS payments up to €20, encouraging the wider adoption of digital payments
- €20 billion in new financing to support investment in innovation, digitalisation and business upgrades.
Additional support tools have also been introduced:
- “Prima Rata Zero”: financing solution: for credit lines of up to €50,000, the bank will pay the interest portion of the first instalment, in addition to the interest portion of the instalments due at the end of 2027 and 2028 (Christmas Bonus)
- “Flexibility Formula”: allows the principal portion of instalments on existing loans to be suspended, extending the term of the loans to free up additional liquidity.
The new measures are aimed at approximately 800,000 business customers of the Banca dei Territori Division, which supports the economic fabric of local communities across Italy. Between 2020 and June 2026, the Division provided more than €20 billion in financing to businesses in this segment.
The agreements with trade associations also provide for tailored measures for individual sectors:
Total waiver of fees on physical POS terminals for amounts up to €20, preferential terms above this threshold for digital payments and a dedicated initiative on POS fees. Approximately 3 billion transactions per year, with a transaction value of around €40 billion, representing a further contribution by Intesa Sanpaolo to the real economy estimated at around €100 million in lower costs for the benefit of small businesses.
Financing solutions dedicated to investments in digital technology and energy, preferential terms on invoice discounting facilities to support liquidity management, and special terms on POS solutions to facilitate the acceptance of digital payments, including on the move.
Supporting investments in the energy-efficiency upgrading of accommodation facilities, facilitating the financial management of seasonality through new instruments such as “Hotel Booking Advance” facilities, which enable seasonal peaks to be managed with greater flexibility and on more favourable terms, as well as a dedicated offer for accepting digital payments.
Through the “Close to those who do business every day” roadshow, Intesa Sanpaolo and the partner associations will showcase and promote these initiatives across Italy, strengthening direct dialogue with entrepreneurs and local businesses.
Last updated 12 October 2026 at 12:37:37
