Citibank plans to launch institutional-grade Bitcoin custody services this year

According to Crowdfund Insider, Nisha Surendran, Head of Digital Asset Custody Development at Citibank, announced at an industry event hosted by Strategy that Citibank plans to integrate Bitcoin into its core banking operations later in 2026, offering institutional-grade custody services, key management, and wallet systems.

The platform will extend traditional tax reporting, compliance, and risk management processes to Bitcoin holdings, and support 24/7 operations, Swift global transfer messaging, and API connections. Citibank currently manages approximately $30 trillion in assets, and this move aims to eliminate operational barriers for institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies regarding crypto assets.

Surendran stated that the first phase will launch core custody functions, with subsequent gradual expansion to services such as asset segregation and collateral management.