Citi to Launch Bitcoin Custody on Custody+ Platform in 2026
Citi’s planned entry into bitcoin custody marks another step by Wall Street banks to bring digital assets into the infrastructure used by institutional investors. By placing traditional securities and crypto assets within its Custody+ framework, the bank aims to reduce the operational fragmentation clients face across safekeeping, post-trade processing and liquidity management. The move also signals that large financial institutions see sustained demand for regulated crypto services despite the asset class’s volatility.
Citi expects to launch bitcoin custody for institutional clients later in 2026 through its new Custody+ platform. The offering will sit alongside real-time asset servicing, settlement and liquidity tools, as well as AI-driven market intelligence, according to reports on the rollout. Citi has not disclosed a firm launch date, pricing or a target for assets under custody, leaving the initial scale of the service unclear.
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The history behind this eventCiti and Morgan Stanley Expand Bitcoin Custody and Crypto Tokenization Services
Traditional banks are integrating crypto assets into existing custody, reporting and tax processes as spot Bitcoin ETFs fuel institutional demand. Citigroup, with about $2.5 trillion in assets, and Morgan Stanley, which manages about $8 trillion in client assets, are expanding their presence in the sector. Their efforts focus on lowering the barriers institutions face in managing private keys and allowing digital assets to share financial infrastructure with securities and cash.
Citigroup said on February 27, 2026, that it would launch institutional-grade Bitcoin custody and support cross-asset collateralization during the year. Morgan Stanley applied to the OCC on February 18 for a digital asset trust bank charter and launched its own Bitcoin Trust on April 8. On April 11, it also disclosed that it was evaluating tokenized money market funds and tax-saving strategies for crypto assets.
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