Citi plans U.S. launch for native-crypto custody later this year
The bank says its institutional custody rollout will begin with native crypto assets such as Bitcoin and sit alongside its tokenized-asset and stablecoin services.
By The Third AnglePublished 2 min read
A bank-building image used illustratively for Citi's digital-asset custody plans; it does not depict a Citi facility. Photo: Unsplash · Unsplash License
Citi plans to launch U.S. custody services for native crypto assets later this year, expanding a digital-assets business that already covers tokenized securities, stablecoin reserves and blockchain-based payments. In its 2026 investor-day services transcript, Citi said the initial native-asset offering would include Bitcoin.
The announcement places the planned launch inside Citi's broader digital-asset architecture rather than presenting it as a standalone crypto exchange. The bank says its platform is intended to connect custody, settlement, tokenized assets, digital money and collateral services for institutional clients.
A broader custody stack
Citi's investor-day materials say the bank already offers custody for stablecoin reserves and crypto exchange-traded funds while developing custody for native crypto assets. Its public digital-assets platform also lists custody and settlement for tokenized bonds, alongside tokenized deposits and foreign-exchange initiatives.
The bank has separately described a planned U.S. custody launch in its securities-services materials. That makes the timing clearer than a general statement that Citi is exploring crypto: the company is describing a service it expects to bring to market, subject to its operational and regulatory requirements.
Why the rollout matters
A large global custodian entering native-asset safekeeping would give institutional clients another bank-regulated route for holding crypto alongside traditional securities and tokenized instruments. It would also put pressure on specialist custodians and exchanges that have competed for the same institutional relationships.
Citi has not published a final launch date, fee schedule, supported-asset list beyond its Bitcoin reference, or a detailed operating model for the service. Those details will determine how much the offering changes the custody market when it goes live.
