Citigroup plans Bitcoin custody service for institutional clients through new Custody+ platform

Citigroup is rolling out Bitcoin custody services for institutional clients through a new platform called Custody+, marking one of the most significant entries by a traditional banking giant into crypto infrastructure. The service, announced on August 18, 2026, will let asset managers and other institutional players hold Bitcoin alongside traditional assets on a single unified platform. For a bank that manages roughly $30 trillion in client assets, even a small percentage of that capital flowing into Bitcoin custody would represent a meaningful shift in how institutional money interacts with crypto. What Custody+ actually does The platform handles key management, wallet infrastructure, and safekeeping, essentially doing the heavy lifting so institutional clients don’t have to touch private keys or manage wallets themselves. Custody+ integrates digital asset holdings with traditional financial services, including custody, settlement, foreign exchange, and cash management. All of it operates with near-real-time and real-time processing capabilities. The service will launch with Bitcoin only. Citi has indicated plans to expand into additional digital assets as demand warrants, but for...