Italy has raised â¬95 billion ($US137 billion) from a tax amnesty - much more than the government had expected.
According to the ministry of finance, 98% of illegally-held overseas money has been repatriated.
The amnesty has now been extended until the end of April.
The BBC reports the move provided a boost for Italy's banking industry - with the money flowing into small and medium size banks.
The government will get a windfall of â¬5 billion from the amnesty. It will be spent helping to strengthen the economy, which came out of recession in the third quarter of this year.
