Citi Eyes 2026 Debut For Institutional Crypto Custody Platform: Report

Citi (C) plans to roll out a crypto custody service in 2026, aiming to offer institutional clients a fully regulated platform for digital assets.

Citi’s stock gained as much as 1.8% in pre-market trade on Monday, with retail sentiment around the banking giant surging to ‘extremely bullish’ from ‘bullish’ territory over the past day.

“We have various kinds of explorations, and we’re hoping that in the next few quarters, we can come to market with a credible custody solution that we can offer to our asset managers and other clients,” Biswarup Chatterjee, Citi’s global head of partnerships and innovation in the services business, told CNBC. He added that the bank has been developing the service for the last two to three years and is making steady progress toward launching it.

He explained that the service would involve Citi holding native cryptocurrencies on behalf of clients, providing an alternative to self-custody or exchange-based storage. Chatterjee said the bank is evaluating both in-house technology and partnerships with third parties, with the solution potentially varying by asset type and client segment. “So we’re not currently ruling out anything,” he said.

Not all Wall Street banks have embraced crypto custody. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said this year the bank would allow clients to buy cryptocurrencies but would not provide custody. Morgan Stanley recently expanded crypto access to all accounts, including retirement plans, but has not offered self-custody.

Chatterjee also noted that stablecoins could play a role in markets with underdeveloped banking systems, enabling clients to interact with suppliers and customers in those regions. Citi’s recent investment in stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK hints at its interest in digital asset innovation, though Chatterjee emphasized the bank is in the “early stages” of stablecoin exploration.

Read also: Michael Saylor-Backed Strategy Resumes Bitcoin Buying Spree With $27 Million Purchase

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