Citigroup said it expects to launch institutional bitcoin custody later this year by adding the service to its Custody+ platform, a move that would place crypto custody alongside traditional asset servicing within the same framework.
The bank said the planned expansion reflects a market structure that is moving toward longer trading hours and faster settlement. Citi is positioning the service within a broader custody and digital-asset infrastructure built to support continuous processing and, in some cases, round-the-clock activity.
Bitcoin custody added to a broader institutional platform
According to Citi’s Aug. 18 announcement, bitcoin custody will be the first digital-asset custody service brought into Custody+. The bank described the rollout as part of a one-stop custody model intended to give institutional clients access to both traditional and crypto custody capabilities through a single operating structure.
In practice, institutional custody means a third-party provider takes responsibility for safeguarding private keys and authorizing asset movements. That differs from self-custody, where those responsibilities remain with the asset owner. Citi said the new service is being built on its common digital asset architecture.
Built around real-time processing
Citi linked the custody plan to infrastructure it already uses across domestic and global custody operations. The bank said its Single Event Processing system handles custody transactions continuously, with more than 80% of total event volume processed in real time.
It also said 96% of all U.S. voluntary events, including actions such as tender offers or optional dividend elections, are processed within two hours. Beyond individual custody events, Citi said its platform brings together settlement, foreign exchange, liquidity, tax services and market data in one system.
The bank framed its wider digital-asset strategy around a market environment in which money and securities can move outside standard trading hours, including on a 24/7 basis. It also said Citi Token Services already enables near-instant movement of tokenized deposits around the clock across select Citi markets.
Part of a wider tokenization push
The bitcoin custody plan follows other digital-asset initiatives at the bank. In June, Citi launched tokenized depositary receipts designed to let eligible investors hold blockchain-based securities representing shares in private companies.
Under that structure, Citi acts as custodian for the securities while SIX, the Swiss financial-market infrastructure group behind the SIX Swiss Exchange, operates the underlying platform. The model debuted with shares in Kaleido and initially restricted participation to accredited investors outside the United States.
Citi said the arrangement allows eligible clients to hold private-market exposure in a regulated onchain format alongside traditional securities, without needing to use a separate crypto-native platform.
Regulatory backdrop and next steps
The bank’s expansion comes as U.S. policy discussions around digital-asset custody and onchain markets continue to develop. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has said the agency’s 2026 regulatory agenda seeks rules for onchain trading and custody while keeping investor-protection safeguards in place.
Separately, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has said national banks may hold certain crypto assets for network fees or platform testing under its crypto-asset guidance. Citi also pointed to longer-term growth expectations for tokenized markets, estimating in its base case that tokenized securities and real-world assets could increase from about $17 billion to $5.5 trillion by 2030.
For now, the confirmed next step is narrower: Citi expects to go live with digital-asset custody later this year, beginning with bitcoin, as it folds crypto custody into the Custody+ platform.
Source: news.bitcoin.com