‘Making Bitcoin Bankable’: Citi Plans 2026 BTC Integration With Traditional Finance

A Citibank government has introduced the agency’s plan to introduce infrastructure “to make Bitcoin (BTC) bankable” as a part of a broader institutional push to combine the flagship cryptocurrency into conventional monetary programs.

Citi To Integrate Bitcoin Into Traditional Finance

On Thursday, Nisha Surendran, Citi’s head of digital asset custody growth, revealed that the financial institution will introduce infrastructure to combine Bitcoin and conventional finance in 2026.

Speaking at Strategy World 2026 in Las Vegas, the chief highlighted the necessity for a 24/7 greenback or digital cash because the world adapts round the clock belongings like Bitcoin and transitions into 24/7 programs and processes.

Surendran shared Citi’s “one large concept” to “make Bitcoin bankable.” As she defined, the baking big plans to launch its personal infrastructure that integrates BTC into conventional finance later this 12 months, though no particular date was disclosed.

To obtain this, Citi will deal with three key areas: core custody and safekeeping capabilities, institutional-grade key administration, and pockets infrastructure. This will allow shoppers to carry and handle Bitcoin positions alongside conventional belongings.

“We can even be bringing Bitcoin into the fold of the $30 trillion conventional belongings that our shoppers entrust to us right this moment. It would be the identical framework that’s utilized now, dropped at Bitcoin,” Surendran acknowledged.

Notably, the financial institution is ready to supply its clients a “single service mannequin throughout crypto, securities, and cash,” extending the identical reporting channels, compliance frameworks, and tax workflows that conventional belongings fall into to BTC.

In addition, Citi will deal with simplification and standardization, noting that its shoppers gained’t need to cope with wallets, keys, and one-time addresses as it should “maintain these issues” via its infrastructure.

Morgan Stanley Joins Institutional Push

Citi’s initiative follows broader efforts to make BTC accessible inside conventional finance. On Wednesday, banking big Morgan Stanley revealed that it’s making ready to increase its BTC and crypto choices past easy entry.

Also at Strategy World 2026, Amy Oldenburg, Morgan Stanley’s head of digital asset technique, shared the financial institution’s plan to maneuver towards native custody and an inner trade stack, whereas additionally exploring yield and lending providers backed by the flagship cryptocurrency.

Morgan Stanley will first enable E-Trade shoppers to purchase and promote spot crypto belongings via a partnership earlier than transferring to a local custody and trade platform over the following 12 months, the chief affirmed.

Oldenburg recommended that this might put Morgan Stanley ready to be the primary main financial institution to supply that mixture in-house. She shared that the agency should construct its personal platform earlier than introducing BTC choices to make sure its shoppers’ safety.

“We actually need to construct this out internally. We can’t simply primarily lease the know-how to do that. People anticipate Morgan Stanley, they belief our model, to be no-fail. And while you sit in that place, you might have a major accountability to your shoppers to just remember to’re delivering that in any stage of know-how,” the chief burdened.

Additionally, she confirmed that it’s exploring crypto yield and lending merchandise, however famous that the financial institution continues to be within the early design stage of these merchandise. Earlier this 12 months, Morgan Stanley filed for a registration assertion for an Ethereum Trust with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In October 2025, the financial institution additionally expanded its entry to crypto fund investments for all shoppers, transferring away from its earlier buyer restrictions. This shift allowed monetary advisors to current crypto funds to any consumer, together with these with retirement accounts.