Citi Expands Into Bitcoin Custody With New Custody+ Platform

Key Insights:

• Bitcoin custody will enter Citi Custody+ later in 2026.
• Citi will initially support Bitcoin for institutional clients.
• Custody+ combines asset servicing, settlement, liquidity, and data.

Citigroup has scheduled the integration of Bitcoin custody into its Custody+ platform for later in 2026, beginning with institutional clients. By housing Bitcoin alongside traditional securities within a unified operating framework, the bank aims to decrease dependence on separate crypto custodians and fragmented reporting networks. Citi announced this schedule on August 18 alongside the introduction of near-real-time settlement and custody solutions.

The financial institution has not disclosed an exact release date or named additional supported cryptocurrencies. Following the announcement, Bitcoin traded around $64,700, though Citi did not link the new service to market price forecasts. This Bitcoin news furthers a digital-asset initiative that Citi first revealed in October 2025.

Citi Places Bitcoin Custody Inside Its Custody+ Framework

According to Citi, the offering will operate on its shared digital-asset architecture. Clients will access both traditional and cryptocurrency custody functions through a single infrastructure, with Bitcoin serving as the initial supported asset, integrating the Citi Bitcoin product directly into its established custody operations.

That infrastructure currently supports clients across more than 100 markets, which includes 62 markets operating on Citi’s proprietary network. This footprint provides Citi with a ready institutional user base for the upcoming rollout, allowing asset managers to store Bitcoin with the same bank managing their bonds and equities.

Rather than demanding direct key management from clients, the bank will safeguard the assets directly. However, Citi has yet to share specifics regarding fees, insurance policies, wallet structures, subcustodians, or client eligibility guidelines. These details will determine how effectively the Citi Bitcoin offering competes with dedicated digital asset specialists.

Amit Agarwal, who heads custody for Citi Investor Services, described Custody+ as a multi-year investment in infrastructure. He explained that the bank engineered these capabilities to streamline client operating models amidst evolving market environments.

Custody+ Brings Real-Time Tools Into One Modular System

Beyond Bitcoin custody, Custody+ integrates multiple post-trade processes into a unified system encompassing asset servicing, settlement, cash management, foreign exchange, liquidity, tax administration, and market intelligence.

Citi developed the platform around Single Event Processing (SEP) technology, which is currently deployed across its U.S. custody operations. The bank notes that SEP has accelerated voluntary corporate-action processing times by up to 92%, with 96% of such events now resolved within a two-hour window.

At present, over 80% of Citi’s overall asset-servicing event volume transacts in real time. Furthermore, integrated ledgers provide clients with visibility over transactions spanning Citi’s 62 proprietary custody markets.

The platform incorporates instant cash updates, funding instruments, liquidity sweeps, and forecasted balances for custody transactions. Additionally, Citi Token Services facilitates round-the-clock, nearly instantaneous movement of tokenized deposits across select markets.

Citi also utilizes artificial intelligence to accelerate tax document processing and support its Market Guide tool, achieving a 70% decrease in the time required to handle tax documentation. The bank’s Services division allocates more than $2 billion annually toward platform development.

Bitcoin Custody Extends Wall Street Digital Asset Push

The Citi Bitcoin initiative aligns with broader Wall Street digital-asset expansion trends. BNY launched cryptocurrency custody services for select U.S. clients in 2022, while Coinbase and Fidelity Digital Assets also cater to institutional investors.

Traditional banks acquired greater regulatory flexibility to enter the Bitcoin custody sector after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rescinded Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 in 2025, a policy that had previously increased the balance-sheet costs for banks holding customer cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley is developing internal infrastructure for Bitcoin trading and custody. Its head of digital assets noted that the firm is also investigating yield and lending products, though no official timelines have been established.

In a separate collaboration, Citi is partnering with BNY to support the New York Stock Exchange’s proposed tokenized-securities initiative. Pending regulatory approval, the venture aims to facilitate blockchain-based trading featuring continuous, round-the-clock settlement, with Citi and BNY providing tokenized deposits and fund transfers outside standard banking hours.

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