A list of the top 10 crypto custody platforms: asset defense battle for high-net-worth investors

As the crypto asset market matures, more and more high-net-worth investors escrow their crypto assets to third-party institutions to ensure their assets are secure and comply with global compliance requirements. The emergence of crypto asset custody services has filled the security, liquidity and compliance gaps faced by high-net-worth investors in crypto asset management.

But among the many custodial platforms, which ones are worthy of trust among high-net-worth investors? What other successful application cases can we learn from?

In this article, Portal Labs will take stock of the top 10 influential platforms in the crypto asset custody industry, helping you make informed choices in complex markets.

What is crypto asset custody?

Crypto Asset Custody, simply put, is to custody, manage and add value-added crypto assets through professional institutions. For high-net-worth investors, this is not only an asset protection tool, but also a core service that allows them to focus on strategic investment and optimize asset allocation.

The services provided by the custodian platform to investors include:

• Cold wallet storage: Ensure high security of assets;

• Compliance services: Ensure assets comply with international financial regulatory standards;

• Liquidity management: Ensure that assets can be flexibly cashed out when needed;

• Tax optimization: Automatically generate tax reports to reduce tax burden.

Compared to using a cold wallet for storage by yourself, the advantages of three-party hosting are:

Security

Although cold wallets can technically prevent online hacking, the security provided by tripartite hosting is more comprehensive. Through professional custodial institutions, assets are not only stored in cold wallets, but also enjoy multi-signature technology and insurance protection. In this way, investors can not only avoid hacking, but also receive insurance compensation in extreme cases.

Compliance and transparency

High net worth investors often face global compliance requirements. The custodian platform uses compliance measures such as KYC (customer identity verification) and AML (anti-money laundering) to ensure that investors' assets comply with financial regulatory regulations in various countries. In addition, the custodial platform provides regular audit reports and transparent asset management, allowing investors to keep an eye on their asset status at any time, ensuring compliance and transparency in asset management.

Liquidity

The tripartite custody platform provides investors with a more convenient asset management method. Through the custody platform, investors can adjust their investment portfolios more quickly or cash out assets without worrying about deposits and withdrawals of cold wallets. Custody platforms also typically work with multiple exchanges and financial institutions to ensure liquidity of assets and be able to execute transactions quickly if needed.

Tax Optimization

Hosting platforms usually provide automated tax report generation services to help investors avoid tax risks and reduce tax burdens. In this way, investors can not only ensure asset compliance, but also reasonably plan tax issues around the world to avoid potential risks arising from personal management.

Management burden

For high-net-worth investors, the complexity and risk of managing crypto assets is not small. The 24/7 customer support and account recovery functions provided by the custodian platform can ensure that investors can get help at any time and avoid asset losses caused by operational errors or technical problems.

Finally, custodial platforms usually support the management of a variety of crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi tokens, and NFT. This allows high-net-worth investors to manage diversified assets within the same platform without having to spread across multiple platforms, improving management efficiency.

Mainstream crypto hosting platforms

Now let’s take a look at the 10 most influential crypto asset custody platforms and see their respective advantages and characteristics.

BitGo

Established in 2013

Service Highlights: BitGo is the industry's leading cold wallet custody platform, providing multi-signature and asset insurance services to ensure the highest security of crypto assets.

Service objects: BitGo provides custody services to many world-renowned funds and crypto exchanges, including Gemini and Coinbase.

Applicable Clients: Mainly serves large institutional investors and high net worth investors, especially those who require high security and compliance.

BitGo has always been favored by financial institutions and exchanges around the world. It has occupied an important position in the field of crypto asset custody due to its excellent security, compliance support and liquidity management.

Anchorage

Established in 2017

Service Highlights: Anchorage is the world's first crypto asset custody platform to obtain compliance approval, providing cold storage and compliant custody services.

Service objects: Anchorage provides custody services to many large asset management companies, financial institutions and large funds, such as Pantera Capital, BlockFi, etc.

Applicable Clients: Focus on providing custody services to financial institutions, large asset management companies and institutional investors, especially suitable for customers with compliance requirements.

Through its innovative technology and compliance certification, Anchorage provides secure crypto asset custody services to institutional investors, gradually becoming one of the most trusted custody platforms in the crypto industry.

Fidelity Digital Assets

Established in 2018

Service Highlights: Fidelity Digital Assets provides crypto asset custody services that combine traditional financial stability, supporting cold wallet storage and high compliance services.

Service objects: Fidelity provides custody services to traditional financial institutions, family offices and institutional investors, including Fidelity Asset Management and the New York Stock Exchange.

Applicable to clients: long-term investors, financial institutions, family offices.

As part of the financial giant Fidelity, Fidelity Digital Assets combines the advantages of traditional financial services and has become the preferred crypto asset custody platform for institutional investors.

Coinbase Custody

Established in 2018

Service Highlights: Coinbase Custody provides investors with cold storage and multi-signature services to ensure the security of crypto assets and provide insurance protection.

Service objects: Coinbase Custody provides custody services for institutional investors, exchanges and crypto funds, and its customers include Pantera Capital, Grayscale, etc.

Applicable to clients: institutional investors, crypto exchanges, investment funds.

As a subsidiary of Coinbase, Coinbase Custody provides high security and compliance custody services, which are widely trusted by global investment funds and exchanges.

Gemini Custody

Established in 2015

Service Highlights: Gemini Custody provides custody services that meet the regulatory requirements of the New York Financial Services Agency (NYDFS), supporting multi-signature and cold storage technologies.

Service targets: Gemini Custody serves clients including crypto funds, large institutions and financial services companies, such as Galaxy Digital and VanEck.

Applicable to clients: institutional investors, crypto exchanges, investment funds.

Gemini Custody's compliance and high security make it one of the most trusted crypto asset custody platforms in the world, especially in the United States.

Fireblocks

Established in 2018

Service Highlights: Fireblocks provides industry-leading cold storage and multi-signature technologies, and focuses on providing comprehensive asset management services to institutional investors.

Service objects: Fireblocks provides custody services for multiple financial institutions and crypto exchanges, including Wellington Management, Revolut, etc.

Applicable to clients: financial institutions, crypto exchanges, institutional investors.

Fireblocks' technology combines security and flexibility to provide institutional customers with efficient asset custody and management services.

Trustology

Established in 2018

Service Highlights: Trustology provides customized crypto asset custody services for individual and institutional investors, especially tailored to high-net-worth clients.

Service objects: Trustology serves customers including cryptocurrency exchanges and family offices, such as Bitfinex.

Applicable customers: small and medium-sized investment institutions, high net worth individuals.

Trustology is committed to providing personalized services to high-net-worth clients with special needs and is an emerging force in the crypto asset custody industry.

Ledger Vault

Established in 2018

Service Highlights: Ledger Vault is the hosting platform for Ledger hardware wallets, providing cold wallet storage and multi-signature solutions to ensure asset security.

Service objects: Ledger Vault provides custody services for crypto exchanges, financial institutions and crypto funds.

Applicable customers: crypto exchanges, financial institutions, crypto funds.

With its hardware security technology and cold storage solutions, Ledger Vault has become a platform for choice for multiple crypto exchanges and financial institutions.

Luno

Established in 2013

Service Highlights: Luno provides crypto asset custody and trading services, supports a variety of mainstream digital currencies, ensuring the security and liquidity of assets.

Service objects: Luno's customers mainly include international investors and crypto exchanges.

Applicable customers: international investors, crypto exchanges, small crypto funds.

Luno provides crypto asset services in multiple markets around the world, especially in emerging markets.

Bitstamp Custody

Established in 2011

Service Highlights: Bitstamp Custody provides multi-signature and cold wallet custody services, focusing on providing highly secure storage solutions for crypto assets to institutions and bulk investors.

Service objects: Bitstamp Custody provides custody services for institutional investors, large funds and crypto exchanges, including CoinShares and Xapo.

Applicable customers: mainly serves large institutional investors, crypto exchanges and investment funds, especially those that require high security and compliance protection.

Relying on Bitstamp's brand and deep background in the global financial market, Bitstamp Custody has brought professional services and extremely high credibility to the field of crypto asset custody. Its custody services are widely favored by institutions and funds, and have become an important choice for institutional-level investors.