Banco di Napoli's historic presence in Southern Italy reveals a close tie with the evolution of the southern economy; it is therefore worth recalling some of the most important moments. Banco di Napoli originated from the public banks of holy places that emerged in Naples between the 16th and 17th centuries.
One of the first charitable institutions to carry out banking activities was Monte di Pietà, founded in 1539, whose philanthropic purpose was to provide interest-free pawn loans. Later, Monte di Pietà opened a depository bank that was recognized with a viceregal proclamation in 1584.

Another seven institutions were then opened: Sacro Monte e Banco dei Poveri (1600); Banco Ave Gratia Plena or Banco della Santissima Annunziata (1587); Banco di Santa Maria del Popolo (1589); Banco dello Spirito Santo (1590); Banco di Sant' Eligio (1592); Banco di San Giacomo e Vittoria (1597); Banco del Santissimo Salvatore (1640). These eight banks prospered more than two centuries.

In 1794, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon combined all of the public banks into Banco Nazionale di Napoli. In December 1808, Joachim Murat became King of Naples and attempted to create a joint-stock bank like the Bank of France. The new institution, which took on the name Banco delle Due Sicilie, would have needed to carry out, through Cassa di Corte and Cassa dei Privati, the same functions as the banks that were closed.

With the unity of Italy in 1861, Banco delle Due Sicilie became Banco di Napoli.
Dating from 1861, in spite of all of the difficulties deriving from the new institutional and political organization of the country, Banco di Napoli increased its activities, intensifying its relations with the private economic world.
In addition to establishing a savings bank, later joined with the bank, Banco di Napoli grew its assets in only a few years and opened branches in Florence (1867), Rome (1871), and Milan (1872).

It succeeded in confirming the bills it issued, becoming the second credit institution in the kingdom. This assisted penetration of the economy and society in favor of the most industrious sectors in the country. Banco di Napoli financed the economy of Naples and the South several times, supporting it during the times of greatest need. It funded the transformation of farming in the south from cereal-growing to specialized farming and most of the southern vineyards and citrus orchards took out loans from Banco di Napoli' s agricultural loan department.

The year 1901 marked Banco di Napoli' s first experience abroad: It established an inspectorate in New York with the job of facilitating the remittances of expatriates. Then in 1907 it became an office and in 1909 a bank. Until the decree on 6 May 1926, Banco di Napoli was a note-issuing institution; after that date it was defined as a public credit institution. On 9 May 1940 with war approaching, it inaugurated its new headquarters in via Roma just in time, built during the previous year for the 400-year celebration of the founding of Banco di Napoli.

In 1989, Banco di Napoli's new logo was registered. Four hundred and fifty years had passed since the birth of Monte della Pietà from which Banco di Napoli originated. In 1991 the "Amato Law" was implemented, which transformed it from a public credit institution into a joint-stock company.
Over the years the company has continuously dealt with the economy of the territory on which it operates, reflecting the trends, special characteristics, and even the contradictions. At the end of 2002, as a result of the merger by incorporation into Sanpaolo IMI, Banco di Napoli was taken over by the parent company. On 1 July 2003, the demerger that gave life to a new bank with its own status of legal entity was finalized, called Sanpaolo Banco di Napoli S.p.A., which operates across the four southern regions of Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, and Calabria.

That strong rooting in Southern Italy that marked the life of the former Banco di Napoli thereby continues. A great bank, therefore, in a great Group aiming at expressing strong competition and creating important synergies that are to the complete advantage of the surrounding economic structure.