The Most Crypto-Friendly Bank Named

A Bitwise study has shown that major global banks are no longer just bystanders in the crypto market. Many of them actively trade digital assets, create funds, launch exchange products, and explore tokenization.

A Bitwise study has shown that major global banks are no longer just bystanders in the crypto market. Many of them actively trade digital assets, create funds, launch exchange products, and explore tokenization.

Here’s a look at which banks have gone deepest into the crypto industry, what tools they offer, and what unites them.

About the Study

The Bitwise team evaluated banks’ activity in the crypto space across five areas where traditional finance intersects with digital assets.
Each bank received a mark if its activity in a given area was confirmed by reports, statements, or launched products.

• Crypto trading and custody — includes operations with crypto assets such as spot trading, futures, derivatives, and custody services. This category includes banks that allow clients to buy, sell, or store cryptocurrency.

• Private crypto funds — participation in creating or managing funds focused on digital assets, including hedge funds and blockchain venture projects.

• Exchange-traded crypto products — launching or supporting ETFs and other exchange-traded products based on cryptocurrencies. Banks in this category act as issuers, custodians, or market makers.

• Crypto payments — any payment solutions based on cryptocurrencies or blockchain, including pilot programs involving stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

• Asset tokenization — projects in which traditional assets, such as bonds or real estate, are digitized.

The more areas a bank was active in, the higher its real involvement in the crypto economy.

The Most Pro-Crypto Banks

Bitwise Study Results

Absolute leader — JPMorgan
Among all banks included in the Bitwise study, only JPMorgan received marks in all five categories.
This makes it the undisputed leader among traditional financial institutions in integrating crypto technologies.

JPMorgan goes beyond pilot projects — it has built a full-fledged infrastructure. Its Onyx blockchain processes daily settlements between corporate clients, while the JPM Coin is used for cross-border transfers and instant payments.
The bank is deeply involved in tokenizing debt instruments, testing new settlement models using stablecoins, and collaborating with regulators in the digital assets field.

Essentially, JPMorgan has created a model of what a major commercial bank of the future could look like: a blend of traditional finance with the transparency and speed of blockchain.

Other Crypto Integration Leaders

Besides JPMorgan, high involvement was shown by Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Börse, and BlackRock.

Goldman Sachs has been offering institutional solutions for digital asset trading and derivatives for several years.
Deutsche Bank is developing crypto custody and tokenization pilot programs.
Deutsche Börse has built one of Europe’s first infrastructures for trading tokenized securities.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, launched a Bitcoin ETF and is actively expanding tokenization of traditional instruments.

Moderately Involved Players

Fidelity, Citi, DBS Bank, HSBC, UBS, and Morgan Stanley remain moderately involved.
They focus on custody services, fund management, and exchange-traded products — acting cautiously and within regulatory frameworks.

Cautious Players

Visa and Mastercard limit their activities to crypto payments, testing solutions for receiving and transferring digital currencies.
Wells Fargo and Franklin Templeton focus on investment products, staying within the fund management segment.

Interesting Observations

Interestingly, the oldest banks — often seen as conservative — turned out to be the most proactive in the crypto industry.

Banks founded in the 19th century, such as JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Goldman Sachs, top the list by the number of crypto-related areas they are active in. Their scale, resources, and global client base push them to adapt to new technologies faster.

Banks from the 20th century, such as UBS, HSBC, and Deutsche Börse, show interest but focus on specific areas like tokenization or exchange products.
Younger players, such as Interactive Brokers or CME Group, operate more narrowly — mainly in trading and derivatives.

Conclusion

The global banking system no longer ignores cryptocurrencies.
JPMorgan has become an example of how a major bank can use blockchain in practice rather than theory. Other institutions are following, developing crypto trading, custody, and tokenization of assets.

The oldest banks have unexpectedly become the key drivers of crypto technologies in traditional finance, turning digital assets into an integral part of the global financial infrastructure.

Editor: Alyona Nabok

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