The increasing demand for digital assets from retail and institutional investors pushes asset managers like BlackRock to look for enhanced crypto custody capacity – that’s where Anchorage Digital steps in.
Anchorage Digital, the first cryptocurrency company to receive a federal banking charter in the U.S., has become an additional custodian eligible to support spot crypto ETPs and other investment funds, providing exposure to crypto for the customers of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with a record $11.6 trillion in AUM.
Founded in 2017, Anchorage has gained the trust of prominent financial institutions over the years. Its regulated cryptocurrency platform offers integrated fintech services and infrastructure solutions, including secure custody, trading, staking, 0n-chain governance, and settlement of digital assets, to institutional clients. What sets the platform apart is the federal banking charter granted by the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, which means that Anchrage’s banking services for digital assets are provided under strict federal oversight.
Therefore, Anchorage Digital Bank keeps each client’s assets safe by storing them separately from the company’s own funds and other clients’ assets. It also offers advanced security methods like fingerprint or face recognition, reducing human mistakes, and keeping private keys stored offline. On top of that, the bank’s technology allows digital assets to be moved quickly and efficiently.
The company has previously partnered with BlackRock for partial asset custody of its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL), which has aggregated over $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) for the first year of operation. Other custodians supporting BUIDL subscribers include BitGo, Copper, and Fireblocks.
BlackRock is not only the topmost asset manager globally, but also the largest issuer of spot crypto ETPs in the world, boasting $50B in AUM, as of April 3, 2025.
Robert Mitchnick, Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, noted that as demand for digital asset products continued to grow and the asset manager expanded its role in the ecosystem, the firm was broadening its network of service providers, prioritising top-tier institutional partners like Anchorage.
Nathan McCauley, CEO and Co-Founder of Anchorage Digital, in turn, stated that Anchorage was enthusiastic about the opportunity to help BlackRock define a new standard for customised access to digital assets. He also expressed pride in contributing to a future where all investors could gain exposure to digital assets.
Both parties look ahead to even more extensive and fruitful collaboration in the future, as BlackRock is actively enhancing its cryptocurrency capabilities across blockchain networks, locations, and products.
