Anchorage Digital, a digital asset custodian, has enabled its institutional clients to stake Bitcoin on the Stacks blockchain and earn weekly rewards, according to an announcement by the company.
The integration allows Anchorage's clients to participate in Bitcoin staking without moving assets from the custodian's infrastructure. Stacks is a layer built on Bitcoin that enables smart contracts and applications on the base layer. Babylon Labs, a Bitcoin staking protocol developer, provides the underlying infrastructure for the staking mechanism.
Anchorage Digital is one of the largest regulated digital asset custodians in the United States, holding assets for institutions including venture funds, family offices, and corporate treasuries. The firm is regulated as a New York-chartered limited-purpose trust company and subject to audits and capital requirements. Staking on Bitcoin itself was not possible before 2024; Bitcoin traditionally used proof-of-work consensus, which requires mining rather than staking. Recent protocol developments have enabled staking mechanisms that let holders earn yield while keeping Bitcoin on the base layer.
Weekly reward payouts distinguish this setup from many Ethereum staking programs, which typically compound or disburse on longer cycles. No figures on total Bitcoin staked, client count, or yield rates have been announced. Anchorage did not disclose whether the service is available to all clients or limited by account size or accreditation status.
Institutional Bitcoin custody has become increasingly competitive. Companies including Fidelity Digital Assets, Coinbase Custody, and Kraken have each announced or expanded custody offerings in the past two years. Bitcoin's price traded near 64,000 USD at the time of the announcement, up 56 percent year-to-date.
The staking integration represents a new revenue line for Anchorage at a time when custody margins remain under pressure from consolidation and fee compression. Custodians traditionally earn revenue through account fees and spread on deposits and withdrawals; staking rewards offer a way to deepen client relationships and capture additional yield from idle capital.
