Citibank to Launch Institutional-Grade Bitcoin Custody Service in 2026

BlockBeats News, February 27th, Citigroup, a global financial giant, announced that it will launch a Bitcoin custody solution for institutional clients in 2026, embedding digital assets into its core banking system. The plan was revealed by Nisha Surendran, Head of Digital Asset Custody, at an industry event.

Citi stated that the new platform will provide institutional-grade custody, key management, and wallet solutions, supporting 24/7 operation, Swift messaging systems, and API integration. It will extend tax reporting, compliance management, and risk control processes to Bitcoin holdings, allowing institutional investors to manage digital assets similar to managing stocks or bonds.

According to the disclosure, Citigroup currently manages assets totaling around $30 trillion. The company plans to initially launch core custody functions, with future expansions into services such as asset segregation and collateral management. The industry believes that this move may further drive Bitcoin into traditional capital allocation, but it still needs to address challenges such as regulatory evolution and cybersecurity.