Crypto custodians move into US derivatives settlements, report says

What the report says

Cointelegraph reported on 10 November 2026 that crypto custodians are moving into the US market for derivatives settlements, a business the report says handles billions in daily settlements. Custodians are firms that hold digital assets on behalf of clients. Derivatives are contracts whose value is tied to an underlying asset, and settling them means transferring what is owed once a trade closes.

The report frames the question as whether those crypto firms can compete with banks in that market, and it cites two factors behind the opening: regulatory relief and a shift in congressional control.

What is still open

According to the report, the shift in congressional control leaves questions over the long-term role of crypto custodians in derivatives settlement. It does not say which direction it expects that to take.

The report does not name the custodians involved, identify which regulator granted the relief, or put a figure on the settlements beyond daily volumes in the billions. It also does not state whether any of the firms have begun settling derivatives trades.

No further details on the firms, the rules or the timing appear in the material available from the report.