ING — Conto Arancio
ING Bank N.V. (Milan Branch)
Conto Arancio is ING's instant-access savings account: no lock-up, deposits and withdrawals at will, free to open and close. What the advertising does not foreground is the standing rate, which the 26 July 2026 information sheet sets at 0.20% gross per year. At that level the 0.2% stamp duty on the balance costs more than the bank pays: the net return is negative, −0.05% a year. The 4% splashed across the product page is a time-limited promotion, reserved for people who were not already customers, requiring you to also open a Conto Corrente Arancio and credit a salary or a €1,000+ transfer to it every month, capped at €50,000 and lasting no more than 365 days. Worth knowing too: deposits here are covered by the Dutch guarantee scheme rather than the Italian FITD, because ING operates in Italy as a branch.
Data & conditions
| Max gross rate | 0.2% |
|---|---|
| Max net rate | -0.052% — stamp duty costs more than the interest the bank pays |
| Account type | Instant access |
| Early withdrawal | Yes |
| Interest compounding | Yearly |
| Interest paid upfront | No |
| Stamp duty | Paid by you — 0.2% of the balance per year |
| When stamp duty is charged | Charged once a year |
| Deposit guarantee | EU guarantee €100,000 |
| Requires a linked current account | No |
| Joint account | Yes |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Regulator | DNB (Paesi Bassi) · Banca d'Italia |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Dutch-law digital bank · listed ING group · deposits covered by the Dutch scheme, not the Italian FITD |
| MiCA / License status | Licenza bancaria (Albo Banche n. 5229 — succursale di banca comunitaria) Italian branch of a Dutch bank (DNB supervision) |
Strengths
- No lock-up and no transaction costs: opening, closing, deposits and withdrawals are all free, and the money stays available at all times.
- The promotion lifts the rate to 4% gross (2.76% net) on up to €50,000 for a maximum of 365 days — the highest rate recorded on the Italian deposit market on the verification date.
- Solid brand: ING Bank N.V. is part of a listed, European-scale banking group.
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- The standing rate is 0.20% gross, which after withholding tax and stamp duty becomes −0.05%: outside the promotion this account loses money in nominal terms, before inflation is even considered.
- The 4% is not the product's price but a promotion with four cumulative conditions: not already being a customer, also opening a current account, crediting a salary or €1,000 transfer to it every month, and staying within €50,000. If the credits stop, the base rate returns.
- The promotion's sign-up window closes on 30 July 2026: after that date the product is the 0.20% one.
- Deposits are covered not by the Italian FITD but by the Dutch Nederlandse Depositogarantiestelsel: protection remains €100,000, but in a crisis you deal with a foreign scheme.
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (Italian branch of a Dutch bank (DNB supervision)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
Verdict
Score 3.2/5, solid profile. In its favour: no lock-up and no transaction costs: opening, closing, deposits and withdrawals are all free, and the money stays available at all times. The trade-off to weigh: the standing rate is 0.20% gross, which after withholding tax and stamp duty becomes −0.05%: outside the promotion this account loses money in nominal terms, before inflation is even considered.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 0.4/5 (weak): the strength is censorship resistance (1.5/5), while fund control (0.0/5) is the weak link.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
Can Conto Arancio really pay less than zero?
Yes, at the base rate. The 26 July 2026 information sheet states a nominal annual credit rate of 0.20%. A 26% withholding tax applies to that interest, taking it to 0.148%, and separately a 0.2% annual stamp duty on the balance is borne by the customer. The result is −0.052% a year: on €20,000 deposited, roughly €10 less after twelve months. This is not specific to ING: it happens to any deposit paying less than 0.28% gross.
What exactly are the conditions for the 4%?
The promotion is called «4% per 12 mesi con Conto Corrente Arancio e Conto Arancio – III edizione 2026». The sign-up window runs from 8 June to 30 July 2026. It is reserved for new customers, former customers, or customers who as at 7 June 2026 held no Conto Corrente Arancio, Arancio Più, Arancio Light or Conto Arancio. You must open and activate both a Conto Corrente Arancio Più or Light and the Conto Arancio, and credit a salary or pension with the dedicated ABI codes to the current account every month, or a transfer of at least €1,000. The 4% applies on up to €50,000 deposited, from the date of the first credit and for no more than 365 days.
What happens if I stop crediting my salary?
The uplift lasts until the last day of the month in which the conditions are met. Once the credits stop, from the following month Conto Arancio reverts to the 0.20% gross base rate — that is, to a negative net return.
Is my money guaranteed as at an Italian bank?
The protected amount is the same, €100,000 per depositor, but the scheme differs. ING operates in Italy as a branch of ING Bank N.V., a Dutch-law bank, and belongs to the Dutch Nederlandse Depositogarantiestelsel, not the Italian FITD. In a failure, the counterpart would be the Dutch system.
What is the difference between Conto Arancio and Deposito Arancio?
Conto Arancio is the instant-access savings deposit, with no lock-up. Deposito Arancio is the fixed-term line reserved for Conto Arancio holders: funds stay deposited for the agreed period, but the information sheet specifies that early release is still permitted with no charges or penalties — flexibility that is uncommon among Italian fixed-term deposits.
Sources
- Official service page Data verified on Jul 27, 2026
- secure.ing.it Spese · Bollo Data verified on Jul 27, 2026