South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Group

The South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Group is a regional cooperative banking network based in Bolzano, in Italy’s autonomous and bilingual province of South Tyrol. Its principal members are 39 autonomous local cooperative banks, known in German as Raiffeisenkassen and in Italian as Casse Raiffeisen. Rather than operating as a single conventional branch bank, the group combines locally governed institutions with common financial, supervisory and support structures. The network is integrated through an institutional protection scheme, or IPS, managed by the Raiffeisenverband Südtirol – Federazione Cooperative Raiffeisen, the member association that represents and coordinates the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen cooperative system. The IPS is designed to support the financial stability of its participating institutions and to provide a framework for mutual protection. The network also relies on Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol – Cassa Centrale Raiffeisen dell’Alto Adige as its central financing and banking institution. RK Leasing GmbH is another specialized affiliated lender included in the group’s institutional structure. The roots of the network reach back to the late nineteenth century. The oldest constituent bank was established in Val Badia, or Gadertal, in 1889 under Austrian law. During the 1890s, a central organization in Innsbruck served Raiffeisen banks in both North and South Tyrol. The region’s political transfer to Italy after the First World War disrupted that earlier cross-border organization, but cooperative banking traditions continued in South Tyrol. The central financial institution was re-established by local Raiffeisen cooperative banks on 14 June 1973 as Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol. The group’s modern structure reflects both regional autonomy and integration into Italy’s banking system. Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol has participated in several cooperative-finance ventures, including AlpenBank, a joint venture with Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol in Innsbruck. Following a 2022 merger, that business became Alpen Privatbank, in which Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol retained a minority holding of 16.5 percent. The Landesbank also established the sub-holding Casse Rurali Raiffeisen Finanziaria with Cassa Centrale Banca – Credito Cooperativo del Nord Est. That vehicle held a significant interest in Investitionsbank Trentino Südtirol – Mediocredito Trentino Alto Adige. The Landesbank has also held a minority interest in ICCREA Banca, the central institution of the BCC Iccrea Group. All of the group’s local cooperative banks and Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol are classified as less significant institutions under the European banking-supervision framework and are directly supervised by the Bank of Italy. Italian cooperative-banking legislation adopted in 2016 provided the regulatory context for the group’s formal IPS. The scheme was established on 14 June 2019 and approved by the Bank of Italy on 3 November 2020. Based on 2019 information, it was the smallest of the eight IPS arrangements approved in the European Union by both customer count and covered deposits, with approximately 300,000 customers and €7 billion in covered deposits at that time. At the end of 2024, the participating institutions in the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen IPS had aggregate assets of €18.8 billion, while Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol reported assets of €3.7 billion. These figures describe the scale of the network and its central institution rather than a single listed banking corporation. The group’s positioning is rooted in cooperative ownership, regional proximity, multilingual service and the financing of households, farms, small businesses and local economic activity. Its international connections arise mainly through cooperative banking partnerships and minority investments rather than through a broad consumer brand footprint outside South Tyrol.

The South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Group belongs to the European tradition of cooperative banking associated with Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen. Its historical development is closely tied to South Tyrol’s changing political status, its German- and Italian-speaking communities and the region’s network of locally embedded financial cooperatives. The oldest bank now associated with the Italian Raiffeisen system was founded in Val Badia, known in German as Gadertal, in 1889 under Austrian law. In the following decade, a central organization was established in Innsbruck to serve local Raiffeisen banks across both North and South Tyrol. This arrangement reflected the region’s political and administrative setting before the First World War, when South Tyrol was part of the Austrian sphere. The end of the First World War and the subsequent incorporation of South Tyrol into Italy disrupted the previous cross-border cooperative structure. South Tyrolean cooperative banks nevertheless retained their local identity and continued to develop within Italy’s banking and cooperative framework. A major institutional rebuilding step took place on 14 June 1973, when the local Raiffeisen cooperative banks re-established Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol as their central financial organization. The Landesbank provided a common financial platform for the decentralized banking network. Over time, the group expanded beyond basic central-bank functions through affiliations, minority investments and specialized companies. It formed AlpenBank with Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol in Innsbruck. That cross-border venture later became Alpen Privatbank following a 2022 merger, with Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol retaining a 16.5 percent minority stake. The Landesbank also created Casse Rurali Raiffeisen Finanziaria with Cassa Centrale Banca – Credito Cooperativo del Nord Est. The holding company had a significant interest in Investitionsbank Trentino Südtirol – Mediocredito Trentino Alto Adige. In addition, the Landesbank held a minority interest in ICCREA Banca, the central institute of the BCC Iccrea Group. European Banking Supervision classified Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and the local Raiffeisen cooperative banks as less significant institutions from the framework’s entry into force in late 2014. They therefore remained directly supervised by the Bank of Italy rather than by the European Central Bank as significant institutions. Italian reforms to cooperative banking enacted in 2016 encouraged the development of institutional protection arrangements. In response, the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen institutions established their IPS on 14 June 2019. The scheme joined the 39 local cooperative banks with Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and RK Leasing GmbH. The Bank of Italy approved the scheme on 3 November 2020. The IPS gave the group a formal structure for mutual institutional support while preserving the legal and operational autonomy of the participating local banks. Based on 2019 data, it was the smallest of the eight IPS arrangements approved in the European Union, measured by both customer numbers and covered deposits. It represented approximately 300,000 customers and €7 billion in covered deposits at that point. The contemporary group remains organized around regional cooperative banking rather than centralized national retail banking. Local Raiffeisen banks serve communities throughout South Tyrol, while the association supplies coordination and common services, the Landesbank provides central financial functions, and specialized affiliates support activities such as leasing. The network is also connected to broader cooperative-banking institutions in Italy and the Alpine region. At the end of 2024, the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen IPS had aggregate assets of €18.8 billion, while Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol had assets of €3.7 billion. The group’s continuing identity is based on member ownership, local decision-making, bilingual regional service and collective financial safeguards. The Raiffeisenverband Südtirol is also a member of the International Raiffeisen Union, linking the regional organization to the wider international cooperative movement.

• 2024

  Network reports €18.8 billion in aggregate IPS assets

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  At year-end, the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen IPS had aggregate assets of €18.8 billion and its central Landesbank had assets of €3.7 billion.

• 2022

  AlpenBank becomes Alpen Privatbank

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A merger transformed the AlpenBank joint venture into Alpen Privatbank, with Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol retaining a 16.5 percent minority share.

• 2020

  Bank of Italy approves the IPS

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Regulatory approval for the institutional protection scheme was granted on 3 November.

• 2019

  Institutional protection scheme established

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group created an IPS covering 39 local cooperative banks, the Landesbank and RK Leasing GmbH.

• 2014

  Institutions classified as less significant under European banking supervision

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and the group’s local cooperative banks became less significant institutions and remained directly supervised by the Bank of Italy.

• 1973

  Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol re-established

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The local cooperative banks re-established Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol as their central financial organization on 14 June.

• 1890

  Central Raiffeisen organization established in Innsbruck

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A central organization in Innsbruck began serving Raiffeisen banks in North and South Tyrol during the 1890s.

• 1889

  First constituent Raiffeisen bank founded in Val Badia

  [1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The oldest bank associated with the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen system was founded in Val Badia under Austrian law.

A regionally rooted cooperative banking network combining autonomous local banks with shared central finance, mutual protection and specialized financial services for South Tyrol.

• Retail and community banking

  Local Raiffeisen cooperative banking

  The group’s core offering is delivered through 39 autonomous local cooperative banks serving communities across South Tyrol. Their services include current accounts, savings, payments, lending and relationship banking for households, farmers, entrepreneurs and local institutions. The local-bank model combines member-based governance with regional knowledge and preserves substantial autonomy for each participating bank.

• Central banking and financial services · 1973

  Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol

  Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol – Cassa Centrale Raiffeisen dell’Alto Adige is the network’s central financial institution. Re-established in 1973 by the local cooperative banks, it provides central financing, liquidity and banking functions for the Raiffeisen system and participates in selected cooperative-finance ventures and minority investments.

• Leasing

  RK Leasing GmbH

  RK Leasing GmbH is a specialized lender associated with the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen network. It was included in the institutional protection scheme established by the group together with the local cooperative banks and Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol.

• Banking stability and mutual protection · 2019

  Institutional protection scheme

  The South Tyrolean Raiffeisen IPS is a collective institutional framework for the participating cooperative banks and affiliated institutions. It is managed by the Raiffeisenverband Südtirol and is intended to support the stability of members through mutual protection arrangements within the regulatory framework approved by the Bank of Italy.

• 2022

  Retain a minority position in Alpen Privatbank after mergerM&A

  Background

  Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol had participated in AlpenBank, a joint venture with Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol in Innsbruck.

  Action taken

  After the 2022 merger that created Alpen Privatbank, Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol retained 16.5 percent of the equity.

  Aftermath

  The transaction preserved the South Tyrolean group’s minority participation in a cross-border cooperative-banking and private-banking platform.

  Source

• 2019

  Create a regional institutional protection schemeStrategy

  Background

  Italian cooperative-banking reforms created a regulatory context in which cooperative institutions could organize formal institutional protection arrangements.

  Action taken

  The group established an IPS on 14 June 2019 covering its 39 local cooperative banks, Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and RK Leasing GmbH.

  Aftermath

  The Bank of Italy approved the scheme on 3 November 2020, giving the decentralized network a formal mutual-support structure while preserving the autonomy of its member institutions.

  Source

• 2022

  AlpenBank becomes Alpen Privatbank after merger[1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  A joint venture involving Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol became Alpen Privatbank after a merger. Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol remained a minority shareholder with 16.5 percent of the equity.

• 2020

  Bank of Italy approves the South Tyrolean Raiffeisen IPS[1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  The Bank of Italy approved the institutional protection scheme on 3 November 2020, formalizing the group’s mutual-support framework under Italy’s cooperative-banking regulatory environment.

• 2019

  South Tyrolean Raiffeisen institutional protection scheme established[1]South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  The group established an institutional protection scheme bringing together its 39 local cooperative banks, Raiffeisen Landesbank Südtirol and RK Leasing GmbH.

1. 1South Tyrolean Raiffeisen Groupen.wikipedia.org