U.S. financial giant Fidelity Investments is establishing a cryptoasset division to serve European hedge funds and other institutions.
Fidelity Digital Assets’ new European division will provide trade execution and custody services for digital assets to institutional investors in the region.
The custody business includes vaulted, cold storage, coupled with a series of physical, operational and cyber controls.
Its trade execution venue will provide access to multiple liquidity sources through a single platform, an internal crossing engine and smart order router.
“Since launching Fidelity Digital Assets in the U.S. over a year ago, we’ve seen significant interest and engagement by the institutional community, which show no signs of slowing,” said Tom Jessop, head of corporate business development for Fidelity Investments and president of Fidelity Digital Assets.
“We’re also encouraged by continued corporate and venture investment in market infrastructure companies as well as the entry of traditional exchanges into the digital assets ecosystem. These and other market indicators, alongside interest expressed from U.K. and European client prospects, indicate a market with increasing potential which gives us the confidence to expand the digital assets business geographically,” he added.