VanEck’s Matthew Sigel Says Citi Bitcoin (BTC) Custody Was Expected Last Week

Matthew Sigel, VanEck’s digital asset research chief, said he understood Citi’s planned institutional Bitcoin (BTC) custody service was expected to launch last week. He speculated that the recent Binance hack may help explain why the bank has not announced a start date.

Sigel’s comments describe his understanding of the timing and a possible explanation. Citi has not confirmed that the service is delayed or tied its timing to the Binance incident.

Citi announced Aug. 18 that it planned to launch institutional Bitcoin custody through its Custody+ platform later in 2026.

Separately, Citi Wealth Management recently published an introductory guide to crypto exchange-traded funds. The guide describes spot Bitcoin and Ether (ETH) ETFs as a way for eligible investors to gain crypto exposure. It covers ETF access, while Citi’s separate Custody+ plan concerns institutional Bitcoin custody.