Citi aims to “make Bitcoin bankable” with new infrastructure launch in 2026
At Strategy World 2026 in Las Vegas, Citi signaled a major institutional push to fold Bitcoin (BTC) into traditional banking services. Nisha Surendran, Citi’s head of digital asset custody development, said the bank plans to deploy infrastructure in 2026 to “make Bitcoin bankable,” integrating the flagship crypto into the same frameworks that govern its $30 trillion in traditional assets.
Surendran framed the move around a broader industry shift: as crypto and other round‑the‑clock assets become core to markets, there’s a growing need for a 24/7 dollar or digital money and systems that operate nonstop. To meet that need, Citi will focus on three building blocks: core custody and safekeeping, institutional‑grade key management, and wallet infrastructure. The goal is to let clients hold and manage Bitcoin positions alongside equities, bonds and cash, using the same reporting channels, compliance frameworks and tax workflows they use today.
Citi also emphasized simplification and standardization — promising clients they won’t have to wrestle with wallets, keys or one‑time addresses because the bank’s infrastructure will “take care of those problems.” While Surendran did not give a specific launch date, she described the initiative as Citi’s “one big idea” to bring BTC into the fold of its traditional asset services later this year.
The announcement sits alongside similar moves from other Wall Street banks. Morgan Stanley, speaking at the same event, said it plans to broaden its crypto offerings beyond basic access. Amy Oldenburg, the firm’s head of digital asset strategy, outlined plans to transition from partner‑based spot access (initially through E*TRADE) to a native custody and internal exchange stack over the next year — positioning Morgan Stanley to offer custody, trading, and potentially yield and lending products in‑house.
Oldenburg stressed the need to build the technology internally rather than “primarily rent” it, citing client expectations for reliability and security. She also confirmed that Morgan Stanley is in the early design stages of crypto yield and lending products. The bank has recently taken other steps into the space — including an earlier filing for an Ethereum trust with the SEC and, in October 2025, expanding crypto fund access to all clients, removing previous customer restrictions.
Taken together, these moves from major banks signal an accelerating institutional effort to normalize crypto custody and services within traditional finance — promising easier access and integrated workflows for institutional and retail clients alike, while placing established compliance and operational frameworks around digital assets.
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