SUMMARY:
Anchorage Digital — the only U.S. federally chartered digital asset bank — has deepened its partnership with BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, to provide digital asset custody services. This move aims to meet the growing demand from both institutional and retail investors. As of April 3, 2025, BlackRock manages $50 billion in spot crypto ETPs, and Anchorage Digital is now officially named as a global custodian eligible to support these funds.
In a move that marks a major step forward for digital finance, Anchorage Digital has been named an additional global custodian by BlackRock, which leads the world in spot crypto ETP issuance.
This partnership underscores a growing trend: crypto is no longer a fringe asset class, but a core part of serious institutional investment portfolios.
Table of Contents
Why Did BlackRock Choose Anchorage Digital?
BlackRock didn’t just roll the dice on this one. Anchorage Digital checked every box that matters for a world-class crypto custodian:
Reason | Details |
---|---|
Robust legal framework | Anchorage Digital is the only federally chartered digital asset bank in the U.S., operating under strict regulatory oversight. |
Top-tier asset security | Offers biometric authentication, offline private key storage, and low-latency infrastructure for secure and efficient transactions. |
Segregated assets | Client assets are fully segregated from corporate funds and from each other, reducing risks in case of insolvency. |
Full-service infrastructure | Provides not only custody, but also staking, settlement, and on-chain governance – all in one place. |
Think of Anchorage as a five-star crypto hotel – everything clients need, under one secure and regulated roof.
What Makes This Deal So Significant?
Anchorage Digital’s inclusion as a BlackRock service provider has broad implications:
- It expands BlackRock’s crypto infrastructure, enhancing their ability to serve increasing investor demand.
- It lays the groundwork for deeper collaboration, potentially involving new product development, staking optimization, and decentralized governance.
- It signals that traditional finance is officially embracing digital assets — not just experimenting with them.
Real Example: Anchorage Was Already Working With BlackRock
This isn’t their first dance. Anchorage Digital has already been supporting the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) by providing backend infrastructure.
Now, the partnership is stepping up — moving from selective support to a long-term strategic alliance.
Takeaway: A Strategic Partnership That Sends a Strong Signal
In an industry still struggling with trust issues, BlackRock’s move to work with Anchorage Digital is a major vote of confidence. It sends a clear message: digital assets, when handled by regulated, security-first institutions like Anchorage, are ready for the big leagues.
It also shows that compliance and innovation can (and should) go hand-in-hand — especially when managing billions in crypto exposure.