U.S. bank BNY plans to add digital asset staking for institutional clients to its custody platform, combining asset safekeeping and reward generation within a single servicing model.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY), one of the world’s largest financial services providers, announced a partnership with Galaxy, a company specializing in digital assets and data center infrastructure. The collaboration aims to expand the capabilities of BNY’s Digital Asset Custody platform for institutional clients. As part of the initiative, the bank plans to add staking support, allowing eligible digital assets to earn rewards while remaining in custody.
According to the companies, the joint solution will combine BNY’s digital asset custody platform with Galaxy’s expertise in blockchain networks based on the Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. The integrated offering is designed to let institutional clients participate in staking through a single, secure service that meets the operational standards of large financial institutions.
In addition to staking, Galaxy will serve as a design partner in the further development of BNY’s digital asset infrastructure. The bank said the rollout of the new capabilities, including staking, remains subject to regulatory approval.
Carolyn Weinberg, BNY’s Chief Product and Innovation Officer, said institutional investors now expect financial institutions to provide more than secure digital asset custody. They also want a broader range of services. She said the partnership with Galaxy aligns with BNY’s strategy of building modern financial infrastructure and expanding its digital asset capabilities.
Steve Kurz, Global Co-Head of Digital Assets at Galaxy, said future financial markets will be built on open, programmable infrastructure. He added that the partnership with BNY will help deliver institutional-grade solutions trusted by the world’s largest financial institutions.
Once the service is launched, eligible institutional clients will be able to access staking through BNY’s integrated servicing model. The offering will also include digital asset custody, fund accounting, tax reporting, payments, and client reporting. According to the companies, this approach is intended to simplify institutional participation in digital asset markets while maintaining strong operational controls, asset protection, and compliance with financial industry requirements.
According to analysts, the average annual yield offered by cryptocurrency staking programs in 2024 exceeded the average dividend yield of S&P 500 companies by around 450%. Against that backdrop, many traditional financial institutions began exploring staking services. In 2025, for example, Swiss state-owned bank PostFinance launched Ethereum staking for clients of all experience levels.
