Coinbase and PNC Partners for On-Platform Bitcoin Access

PNC Bank has become the first major U.S. bank to offer direct bitcoin trading through its digital banking platform. The service, powered by Coinbase‘s Crypto-as-a-Service infrastructure, allows eligible PNC Private Bank clients to buy, sell, and hold bitcoin without leaving their banking environment.

The partnership builds on a strategic collaboration announced between the two companies in July 2025. PNC ranks among the top-10 U.S. financial institutions, bringing significant institutional weight to the crypto integration effort.

Today marks a major milestone for institutional crypto adoption.@Coinbase’s Crypto-as-a-Service platform is now powering @PNCBank’s launch of direct bitcoin trading for PNC Private Bank clients – the first to market with such an offering among the major U.S. banks. pic.twitter.com/wwuOIRuBfK

— Coinbase Institutional 🛡️ (@CoinbaseInsto) December 9, 2025

Clients no longer need separate exchange accounts to access bitcoin. The integration embeds trading capabilities directly within PNC’s existing digital platform, streamlining the process for wealth management customers.

Coinbase Expands Institutional Reach Across Major Banks

The PNC deal represents only one piece of Coinbase’s broader push into traditional banking partnerships. CEO Brian Armstrong revealed at the New York Times DealBook Summit in December 2025 that multiple major U.S. banks have engaged with Coinbase on pilot programs.

These collaborations span stablecoins, crypto custody, and trading services. Armstrong described the partnerships as opportunities that leading banks are actively pursuing in the evolving digital asset landscape.

Armstrong made these remarks during a discussion with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. Fink, who in 2017 called Bitcoin an index for money laundering, now oversees the largest bitcoin exchange-traded fund in the world.

The shift in institutional sentiment toward digital assets has accelerated dramatically. Major financial players that once dismissed cryptocurrency now compete to offer related services to their client base.

Citi Partnership Targets Global Payment Solutions

Citibank announced its intention to collaborate with Coinbase on digital asset payment capabilities in October 2025. The partnership focuses initially on fiat pay-ins and pay-outs supporting Coinbase’s on-ramp and off-ramp services.

We’re collaborating with @Citi to build the future of payments.

→Exploring making it easier for Citi clients to use digital assets
→Unlocking the power of stablecoins for payments
→Improving on and off-ramps

Time to make digital assets an integral part of the global economy. pic.twitter.com/jGaTZ8wPRf

— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) October 27, 2025

The collaboration aims to bridge traditional fiat currency systems with digital asset ecosystems. Both companies plan to explore alternative fiat-to-onchain stablecoin payout methods in coming months.

Brian Foster, Global Head of Crypto as a Service at Coinbase, cited Citi’s global network as an ideal match for advancing digital asset capabilities. The partnership targets round-the-clock accessibility for Citi’s institutional clients.

Citi maintains a presence in the top 50 eCommerce markets worldwide. The bank serves 90% of the top eCommerce companies and 15 of the world’s 20 largest fintech firms.

The collaboration extends Citi’s existing digital money initiatives, including Citi Token Services and 24/7 USD Clearing. These services already provide real-time, always-on capabilities for institutional clients.

Citi projects the stablecoin industry could reach $4 trillion by 2030 in a bullish scenario. This forecast underscores the bank’s long-term commitment to digital asset infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, the banking sector’s embrace of cryptocurrency marks a significant departure from years of institutional skepticism. Traditional finance and crypto markets continue to converge through partnerships like those between Coinbase, PNC, and Citi.

The trend suggests U.S. banks increasingly view digital assets as essential offerings for competitive client services. Coinbase’s infrastructure-first approach positions the exchange as a key enabler of this institutional adoption wave.