Italy's Fineco sales jump 35% in first half, boosting full-year view

July 30 (Reuters) - Italian digital bank Fineco on Thursday reported a nearly 35% rise in its half-year net sales to €8.9 billion ($10.2 billion), boosted by a sharp increase in new customers, and struck a positive tone about its full-year prospects.

CEO Alessandro Foti told analysts on a call that strong net sales were the main indicator that would drive revenue and profit growth in 2026.

Fineco, which does not provide a numeric guidance for its key results, said it expected all business areas and mix components to positively contribute to its revenue growth this year, thanks to an acceleration in structural trends.

"Fineco has the highest percentage among European banks of stable deposits," which should translate into a positive effect from rising interest rates, Foti said.

Fineco had said in March it planned to grow the pace at which it gathers new money by using AI and targeting clients from "inefficient" German banks.

"We have some very clear evidence that what we are doing in terms of redesigning the backbone of the bank using technology and AI is starting to pay off," Foti said on Thursday.

Fineco also plans to spend €5 million more in marketing this year than previously planned.

In the first half of 2026, the bank gained 125,594 new customers, up 25.9% from a year ago. Net profit grew around 7% to €340.4 million in the same period.

($1 = 0.8732 euros)

(Reporting by Anna Uras, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)