JPMorgan is planning to let institutional clients use their Ether and Bitcoin holdings as loan collateral before the end of this year, signaling another major step in Wall Street’s growing acceptance of digital assets.
According to sources familiar with the plan, the program will be available globally and will rely on an independent custodian to hold the pledged cryptocurrencies. The move expands on the bank’s earlier policy of accepting ETFs linked to cryptocurrencies as collateral.
It further reflects how digital currencies are becoming increasingly embedded in traditional financial systems. With Bitcoin’s price surging this year and the federal government easing several regulatory barriers, large banks are moving quickly to incorporate crypto into their lending and investment activities.
For the bank, the move represents both a practical and symbolic evolution. The bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, has long been one of the most prominent critics of Bitcoin, having previously dismissed it as a “fraud” and compared it to a “pet rock.” Now, the same bank is planning to treat cryptos as legitimate assets that can back loans alongside gold, stocks, and bonds.
Dimon has recently adopted a more measured view on cryptos, acknowledging their growing role in the market while maintaining caution about their long-term stability.
JPMorgan is not alone in expanding its crypto-related services. Other major institutions are following suit amid a friendlier policy environment. Morgan Stanley, for instance, plans to enable users of its E*Trade system to trade popular cryptocurrencies by 2026. Meanwhile, Fidelity, State Street, and Bank of New York Mellon have all introduced crypto custody and related offerings.
Regulatory adjustments have also enabled asset managers, such as BlackRock, to accept Bitcoin from investors and exchange it for shares in funds that track the token’s value.
JPMorgan initially explored lending against Ether and Bitcoin in 2022, but the effort was postponed at the time, according to the sources. Since then, demand from institutional clients for crypto-backed services has increased sharply, fueled by market growth and clearer regulations.
Legal frameworks for digital assets are already active in regions such as the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore. In the United States, lawmakers continue to debate comprehensive legislation for the crypto sector. Despite recent market volatility, Bitcoin reached a record high of $126,251 at the beginning of the month, reinforcing investor confidence in the asset’s long-term role in global finance.
Crypto industry players like MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR) will be pleased with the traction that cryptos are getting in mainstream finance. This is proof of the staying power of digital assets.
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