BNP Paribas has been appointed by UniCredit Group to provide custody and settlement services across Italy, Germany, and Luxembourg as part of its internalisation push, marking a significant shift towards operational centralisation and expansion within Europe.
BNP Paribas’s Securities Services division has been appointed by UniCredit Group to provide custody and settlement services for its entities across Italy, Germany, and Luxembourg. This mandate forms part of UniCredit’s January 2025 internalisation initiative aimed at streamlining its securities back-office operations across multiple jurisdictions, with a focus on standardisation and operational efficiency under a single provider. BNP Paribas will deliver tailored solutions for UniCredit S.p.A., UniCredit GmbH, and UniCredit International Bank S.A., offering custody, settlement, and clearing services tailored to each country’s requirements.
UniCredit, a prominent pan-European bank serving approximately 15 million clients worldwide, has opted to replace its previous custody providers—Société Générale Securities Services in Italy and Crédit Agricole’s CACEIS in Germany—as part of its broader operational optimisation strategies. The move also aligns with its efforts to consolidate and improve service quality across its network. Additionally, UniCredit is partnering with wealth management firm FNZ to develop a cloud-based post-trade platform dedicated to its custody operations in Germany. The internalisation process is expected to create approximately 200 new roles—around 140 in Germany and 60 in Italy—marking a shift from external outsourcing to in-house custody services.
This partnership highlights BNP Paribas’s strong European footprint and multi-local expertise, emphasizing its capability to support complex migration projects and technology integration across borders. BNP Paribas’s approach leverages its extensive proprietary network and integrated banking model to offer consistent, innovative custody solutions aligned with client needs. The engagement complements BNP Paribas’s recent expansion efforts, notably its acquisition of HSBC Continental Europe’s custody and depositary bank business in Germany, scheduled for phased client migration starting early 2026. These strategic moves bolster BNP Paribas’s position as a leading European custodian, providing multi-asset post-trade services in over 90 markets, including a proprietary presence in 27 major markets.
BNP Paribas’s custody solutions prioritize asset protection, operational resilience, and technological innovation, supporting clients’ evolving regulatory and market demands. As of 30 June 2025, BNP Paribas’s Securities Services business managed assets under custody worth EUR 14.9 trillion, reflecting its critical role in the European post-trade landscape. The new partnership with UniCredit underscores BNP Paribas’s strength in delivering harmonised, multi-country custody services, reinforcing its status as a preferred provider for major financial institutions seeking scalable, reliable custody solutions.
UniCredit’s strategic move to internalise custody services through BNP Paribas also signifies a broader industry trend toward operational centralisation and cost efficiency in response to regulatory and market complexity. CEO Andrea Orcel’s ongoing review of outsourcing arrangements for custody, payments, asset management, and insurance indicates a focus on driving efficiency and service quality. BNP Paribas’s proven track record in large-scale migration projects and integrated technology solutions positions it well to support UniCredit’s long-term ambitions.
In summary, BNP Paribas’s appointment by UniCredit exemplifies an evolving trend among European banks to optimise and internalise key post-trade functions. This collaboration enhances BNP Paribas’s role as a central European custodian, enabling it to deliver sophisticated, client-centric custody services across multiple countries while reinforcing its strategic expansion within the competitive European financial ecosystem.
References:
- - [1] https://mondovisione.com/media-and-resources/news/bnp-paribas-appointed-to-provide-custody-and-settlement-services-to-unicredit-gr-202598/
- - [2] https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/unicredit-picks-bnp-paribas-custody-services-replacing-sgss-caceis-2025-09-08/
- - [7] https://posttrade360.com/news/custody/unicredit-eye-partnerships-to-streamline-custody-services/
Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://mondovisione.com/media-and-resources/news/bnp-paribas-appointed-to-provide-custody-and-settlement-services-to-unicredit-gr-202598/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/unicredit-picks-bnp-paribas-custody-services-replacing-sgss-caceis-2025-09-08/ - UniCredit, an Italian bank, has partnered with BNP Paribas for custody services, replacing previous partnerships with Société Générale Securities Services (SGSS) in Italy and Crédit Agricole's CACEIS in Germany. This move is part of UniCredit's strategy to streamline operations and standardise suppliers across different countries. Additionally, UniCredit is collaborating with wealth management firm FNZ to develop a cloud-based post-trade platform specifically for its custody operations in Germany. The internalisation of these services is expected to create around 140 new positions in Germany and 60 in Italy, marking a shift from previously outsourced services.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/bnp-paribas-acquire-hsbcs-custody-depositary-business-germany-2025-06-27/ - BNP Paribas has agreed to acquire the custody and depositary bank business of HSBC Continental Europe in Germany. This acquisition is part of BNP Paribas' efforts to strengthen its Securities Services operations within the region. The implementation of the deal is set to begin in early 2026 and will involve a phased migration of clients. This strategic move further consolidates BNP Paribas' position in the European financial market, particularly in the area of custody and depositary services.
- https://securities.cib.bnpparibas/all-our-solutions/custody-clearing-cash/custody-services/ - BNP Paribas' Securities Services business is a leading custodian providing multi-asset post-trade and asset servicing solutions to buy-side and sell-side market participants, corporates, and issuers. As of 31 December 2023, the business had assets under custody of $13.67 trillion and assets under administration of $2.72 trillion. The custody solutions aim to provide best-in-class services with a strong focus on asset protection, network robustness, and innovation. Clients can access more than 90 markets through the custody network, 27 of which are proprietary, offering direct connection to the most active markets.
- https://securities.cib.bnpparibas/bnp-paribas-securities-services-business-selected-by-procapital-to-provide-a-wide-range-of-services-in-europe/ - BNP Paribas' Securities Services business has been mandated by ProCapital, an investment services provider and subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, to provide a wide range of services covering European markets. The mandate includes local and global custody, clearing, securities lending, AutoForex, execution, and clearing of listed derivatives. ProCapital benefits from BNP Paribas' Execution-to-Custody solution, ensuring the integration of cash equities trade execution in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria with their local and global custody. This solution combines the execution capabilities of the Global Markets business line with the custody and settlement offer of the Securities Services business.
- https://securities.cib.bnpparibas/berenberg-mandates-bnp-paribas-as-its-depositary-bank-and-transfer-agent-in-germany-and-luxembourg-in-addition-to-its-existing-multi-market-custody-relationship/ - The Securities Services business of BNP Paribas has been chosen by Berenberg, one of Europe's oldest privately owned banks, to provide depositary bank, transfer agent, listed derivatives clearing, and OTC derivatives services in Germany and Luxembourg. This new mandate further solidifies Berenberg's long-term partnership with BNP Paribas, which already includes local clearing, settlement, and custody services across multiple markets. The mandate comprises Berenberg's full fund range, with currently 18 UCITS in Luxembourg and 12 UCITS in Germany, representing a total of EUR 5 billion assets.
- https://posttrade360.com/news/custody/unicredit-eye-partnerships-to-streamline-custody-services/ - UniCredit is seeking to streamline its custody services in Germany and Italy, which are currently outsourced to Caceis and Société Générale respectively. The pan-European commercial bank aims to consolidate everything under a single partner eventually to reduce costs, improve services, and further streamline its structure. UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel is reviewing outsourcing contracts for services such as custody, payments, asset management, and insurance. The bank has reportedly reached out to firms including BNP Paribas, Société Générale, and Crédit Agricole's Caceis for proposals.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being 8 September 2025. It has not appeared elsewhere prior to this date. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No earlier versions show different information. The article includes updated data and does not recycle older material.
Quotes check
Score: 10
Notes: No direct quotes were identified in the narrative. The content is paraphrased from the press release and other sources.
Source reliability
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative originates from reputable organisations: the press release from BNP Paribas and the Reuters article. Both are well-established and reliable sources.
Plausability check
Score: 10
Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and consistent with known industry practices. The narrative lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates, which is typical for a press release. The language and tone are consistent with corporate communications. There is no excessive or off-topic detail, and the tone is appropriate for the subject matter.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative is fresh, originating from reputable sources, and presents plausible claims consistent with industry practices. The lack of direct quotes and specific factual anchors is typical for a press release. No signs of disinformation or recycled content were found.