Anchorage Digital to provide custody for 21Shares' spot bitcoin and ether ETFs
Quick Take
- Anchorage became the custodian for 21Shares’ spot bitcoin and ether ETFs.
- The crypto bank will require issuers and participants to use biometric authentication to engage in crypto ETFs for better security.
Anchorage Digital Bank, a federally chartered crypto bank, announced that it will provide custody services for two new U.S. spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds issued by 21Shares — the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and the 21Shares Core Ethereum ETF (CETH).
“Our federal charter — which supersedes state-by-state regulation and positions us as a qualified custodian — makes us a natural choice for ETF custody diversification,” Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley said in a press release.
The crypto bank said it will require issuers and participants to use biometric authentication to engage in crypto ETFs to mitigate risk of human error. Other tech enhancements include offline storage of private keys, low-latency architecture, and efficient creation and redemption of ETF shares, Anchorage said.
The crypto bank added that it offers custody that separates and protects the funds. It is also legally obligated to segregate client funds from firm funds.
“As institutional adoption of crypto increases, crypto ETFs are becoming a critical bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem,” Anchorage said in the release. “Anchorage Digital Bank’s role as a selected custodian for ARKB and CETH underscores the growing demand for a safe and secure market structure that protects shareholders.”
Established in 2017, Anchorage Digital had over $50 billion in assets under custody as of April this year, according to Forbes. It is funded by Goldman Sachs, Andreessen Horowitz, KKR, Visa, and others, with a Series D valuation of over $3 billion.
Meanwhile, the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF currently holds $2.47 billion in net assets, while the 21Shares Core Ethereum ETF has accumulated $8.88 million, according to data from SoSoValue.
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