Citi Confirms Direct Bitcoin Custody and 24/7 Settlement

TLDR

• Citi confirmed plans to launch institutional Bitcoin custody in 2026.
• The bank will hold Bitcoin directly on its balance sheet instead of offering ETF exposure.
• Institutional clients will view Bitcoin holdings alongside traditional assets in unified reporting systems.
• Citi will integrate compliance, tax, and risk monitoring into its existing banking controls.
• The bank will support 24/7 Bitcoin settlement to match continuous trading activity.

Citigroup confirmed plans to integrate Bitcoin custody into its core banking systems in 2026. The bank will hold digital assets directly on its balance sheet and support continuous settlement. The move will allow institutional clients to manage Bitcoin within existing banking workflows.

Citi to Integrate Bitcoin Custody Into Core Banking Systems

Citi will provide direct custody instead of ETF-based exposure for institutional clients. The bank will hold native Bitcoin and manage keys through internal infrastructure. Clients will view Bitcoin alongside equities and fixed income within unified reporting systems. Compliance and tax processes will run through existing global controls.

Nisha Surendran, Head of Digital Asset Custody Development, leads the initiative. She said the bank aims to remove operational gaps between digital assets and legacy finance. Citi will offer wallet infrastructure and institutional-grade key management services. Clients will not manage private keys or depend on external crypto custodians.

The bank will route Bitcoin instructions through SWIFT messaging and API connectivity. This structure will plug crypto transactions into established settlement and reconciliation systems. Citi will also transition toward 24/7 operations because Bitcoin trades continuously. The bank will adjust staffing and monitoring to support round-the-clock activity.

Platform Infrastructure to Support 24/7 Bitcoin Settlement

Citi will deploy its Citi Integrated Digital Assets Platform to connect fiat systems and blockchains. The internal platform will move value between bank ledgers and public networks such as Ethereum. The interoperability engine will support token transfers and reporting across systems. The bank designed the platform to align with institutional risk standards.

Citi continues to expand Citi Token Services for corporate clients. The service enables tokenized deposits for near-instant global transfers within approved networks. The bank will connect tokenized deposits with broader digital asset custody infrastructure. This approach will unify fiat and digital settlement channels.

The bank has discussed partnerships with digital asset infrastructure firms, including Metaco. Citi also supports fintech companies focused on stablecoin payment services. These discussions form part of its broader digital asset infrastructure strategy. The bank confirmed that it continues to evaluate external technology providers.

The rollout follows the 2025 passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act. The legislation created a legal framework for U.S. banks to hold digital assets. Citi cited the updated regulatory environment as support for its custody plans. The bank expects to launch the integrated platform in 2026.

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