BlackRock Deepens Crypto Footprint, Names Anchorage Digital as Additional Custodian

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is expanding its digital asset infrastructure by partnering with Anchorage Digital, the only U.S. federally chartered digital asset bank.

Anchorage Digital will now serve as an additional custodian for BlackRock's growing suite of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) and other funds providing exposure to digital assets, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

This deepening of the relationship builds upon Anchorage Digital's existing support for BlackRock's USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL). Following what the announcement described as a "thorough evaluation,"

"As demand for digital asset products increases, and as our footprint in the ecosystem grows, we continue to expand our network of service providers with a focus on the highest quality institutional providers," Robert Mitchnick, head of digital assets at BlackRock, said. "After a thorough evaluation, Anchorage Digital clearly meets these standards, and we are excited to be expanding our network of eligible digital asset service providers with the addition of Anchorage Digital."

Anchorage Digital highlighted the significance of providing federally regulated infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of both retail and institutional clients. "By providing federally regulated crypto infrastructure, we are helping BlackRock to meet client demand for today and tomorrow. We are proud to build toward a world where every investor can get exposure to digital assets," Nathan McCauley, CEO and co-founder of Anchorage Digital, said.

As a regulated entity, Anchorage Digital Bank N.A. offers bankruptcy-remote custody and is legally obligated to segregate client assets. The platform also employs robust security measures, including offline storage of private keys and biometric authentication, alongside a low-latency architecture for efficient digital asset settlement.

With BlackRock being the world's largest issuer of spot crypto ETPs, managing $50 billion in assets under management as of April 3, 2025, this collaboration signifies a further integration of digital assets into mainstream investment vehicles.

BlackRock noted that the partnership lays the groundwork for deeper collaboration between the two firms as client demand for regulated and secure access to the digital asset class continues to rise.