- Citi plans to launch its digital asset custody service later in 2026, beginning with Bitcoin.
- The service will sit within Citi’s new Custody+ platform, combining traditional and crypto asset custody under one framework.
- Citi is also expanding into tokenized deposits, 24/7 payments, instant settlements and other blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Citi is preparing to take another major step into crypto, confirming plans to launch its digital asset custody service later this year with Bitcoin as the first supported cryptocurrency.
The Wall Street banking giant had already revealed plans for native crypto custody, but its latest announcement provides a clearer picture of how the service will work. Bitcoin custody will become part of Citi’s newly unveiled Custody+ platform, allowing institutional clients to access traditional and digital asset services within the same broader infrastructure.
For Citi, this isn’t simply about holding Bitcoin. The move fits into a much larger effort to modernize custody and settlement as financial markets gradually shift toward faster, increasingly always-on infrastructure.
Citi Brings Bitcoin Into Custody+
Custody+ is being developed by Citi Investor Services to support markets moving toward continuous trading and shorter settlement periods.
Its planned crypto custody service will operate through Citi’s common digital asset architecture, giving clients access to Bitcoin while remaining connected to the bank’s established custody capabilities.
That could be particularly attractive to institutional investors that want crypto exposure but prefer working with a major regulated financial institution rather than managing digital asset custody separately.
Citi Expands Its Tokenization Strategy
Bitcoin custody is only one part of Citi’s growing digital asset push.
The bank has been working with Intercontinental Exchange on tokenized deposits and participated in a Swift pilot exploring 24/7 cross-border payments. Citi is also involved with other major U.S. banks in developing a tokenized deposit network through The Clearing House, which is targeting a 2027 launch.
Custody+ will additionally support near-instant movement of tokenized deposits across select Citi markets, alongside real-time asset servicing, settlement and liquidity tools.
Wall Street’s Crypto Infrastructure Keeps Growing
Citi’s decision to launch native Bitcoin custody represents another sign that major banks are moving beyond simply giving clients indirect exposure to cryptocurrency.
Custody is a critical piece of institutional crypto infrastructure because large investors need secure, compliant systems for storing digital assets. Bringing those capabilities directly inside a global bank could make Bitcoin easier to integrate with existing institutional portfolios and operations.
With its planned launch later this year, Citi is positioning Bitcoin alongside traditional assets within a broader custody ecosystem rather than treating crypto as an entirely separate market.
