In ten years, Italy has lost more than a third of its bank branches. Between 2015 and 2025 the branch network went from 30,258 to approximately 19,140, with a reduction of over 11 thousand branches. The drop, equal to 36.7%, emerges from an analysis by Cna, which highlights the effects of the so-called banking desertification on territories, families and small businesses. The phenomenon does not only concern the number of branches, but also the growing distance between citizens and physical banking services. In 2025, almost 4.84 million people live in municipalities without a bank branch.
The municipalities in Italy without a bank
According to the analysis, in 2015 there were approximately 2.26 million people living in municipalities without a bank branch. It was 3.8% of the Italian population. In 2025, the number rose to 4.84 million, or 8.2% of residents. In ten years the population involved has therefore more than doubled, with an increase of almost 2.6 million citizens.
The number of unbanked municipalities has also grown significantly. In 2015 there were 2,251, while in 2025 there are approximately 3,456. This means that today almost 44% of Italian municipalities do not have a bank branch in their territory. The closure of bank branches particularly affects small municipalities
Over 96% of municipalities without a branch have fewer than 5 thousand inhabitants. The figure becomes even more marked in smaller towns: among municipalities with less than a thousand residents, nine out of ten do not have a bank. The reduction of branches therefore risks having a greater impact on internal areas, small towns and territories where travel can be more complex. For many citizens, the closure of the branch not only involves the transition to digital services, but also the need to go to another municipality to carry out operations that require direct assistance.
Elderly people more exposed to banking desertification
Banking desertification also has a strong social dimension.
Almost 1.28 million people aged at least 65 live in municipalities without a branch. There are over 643 thousand people over 75.
Elderly people represent 26.3% of the population involved. This is a significant share, especially in territories where access to digital services may be less immediate.
In fact, for a part of the older population, the use of banking apps, home banking and automated procedures can be complicated. Added to this are the difficulties related to mobility, the distance from the offices and the need to receive personal support.
The Cna alarm for families and businesses
The Cna underlines that the digitalisation of banking services can represent an opportunity, but must not turn into an abandonment of the territories. “The digitalisation of banking services represents an opportunity, but it cannot turn into an indiscriminate retreat from the territories,” declared the president of the Cna, Dario Costantini.
According to the number one of the Confederation of Craftsmen. for a small business the relationship with the bank “does not end with an application or an automated procedure”. Companies, especially small ones, often need interlocutors capable of knowing the local production reality, evaluating projects and accompanying investments.
Because branch closures weigh on small businesses
For small businesses, the presence of a bank branch can represent an operational and financial point of reference. The direct relationship with the bank can be important for access to credit, management of payments, evaluation of new investments and comparison of financial instruments suitable for the business.
When a branch closes, the service does not necessarily disappear, but it changes mode. The relationship increasingly shifts to digital channels or to branches located in more distant municipalities. For smaller businesses, especially in underserved areas, this can make it more difficult to obtain timely assistance and maintain a direct relationship with the banking system. For Dario Costantini, “when a branch closes, a point of reference for families, elderly people and economic activities disappears”.
