Enhancing The Client Experience

In Citi’s vision for the future of custody - a future where our success is intrinsically tied to that of our clients - we are transforming alongside our clients to meet a new set of demands: smarter infrastructure, quality data, and services built for both traditional and digital asset classes. 

At the heart of that transformation is our custody platform modernization strategy – a fundamental pillar of how we are aligning our growth with our clients’ ambitions. 

Custody may be a “traditional” post-trade function, but the infrastructure that supports it is changing fast. We have been investing in the technology foundations that will enable more efficient, secure, and scalable services – not just today, but for whatever comes next. 

What platform modernization means  

Platform modernization isn’t just a systems upgrade. It’s a strategic reimagining of the infrastructure that underpins our proprietary network. We are building a single, unified platform for securities processing and asset servicing; one interface where execution and administration across geographies and asset classes can be managed.

Central to this is the implementation of our single event processing (SEP) technology, which allows transactions to flow seamlessly from announcement to payment, eliminating duplication and delays. We’re also embedding a modular, data-centric architecture that brings agility and precision to everything we do.

These changes are not about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about creating tangible value for clients. It’s about delivering a more intuitive, seamless experience and ensuring that our platform is evolving with clients’ needs and the broader industry.  

Optimizing our operational model

As we continue on our modernization journey, clients are already seeing a range of enhancements across their day-to-day interactions with Citi Custody:  

• Efficiency: With automated processes and simplified workflows, this has resulted in fewer manual touchpoints and quicker outcomes.  
• Transparency: Access to real-time data and a unified infrastructure allows clients to have deeper visibility into their activity and performance.  
• Consistency: A global platform means a consistent client experience, regardless of market, location, or asset class.  

The future of platform modernization

With a modern and modular platform, we can respond to client feedback faster and develop new capabilities without being constrained by legacy systems, while catering to the growth of digital assets and tokenization.

We’re building an infrastructure that can scale with our clients – one that supports emerging asset classes, evolving market structures, and the future of post-trade finance. 

Tokenization and digital asset custody are already opening up new opportunities. Citi has already extended its capabilities to support digital bonds in Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland with Euroclear¹.  We also recently announced a collaboration with Six Digital Exchange (SDX) where Citi will join SDX as a digital custodian and tokenization agent to support its global investor and issuer clients with end-to-end servicing of tokenized assets.² As tokenization scales, we are meeting client demand for access to emerging and relevant digital asset ecosystems and investments. Working with SDX, we are also advancing our innovation agenda to open new frontiers to benefit our clients.

As shortened settlement cycles and tokenization continue to reshape global markets, our investments are helping clients prepare for a more efficient future.  

Our infrastructure is also enabling clients to consume custody capabilities “as-a-service”, so that they can outsource operational components while maintaining full control, visibility, and flexibility.  

Whether it’s AI, real-time settlement, or integrated asset servicing, we’re putting in place the foundations for long-term partnership and innovation.

Redefining what custody can be  

We believe the future of finance will be built on platforms that are resilient, intelligent, and collaborative. By investing in the infrastructure that powers our Custody business, we’re creating space for new ideas, deepening client engagement, and enabling a more connected financial ecosystem.  

1.  https://www.citigroup.com/global/news/press-release/2024/citi-supports-the-issuance-of-asian-infrastructure-investment-banks-first-digitally-native-note  

2. https://www.citigroup.com/global/news/press-release/2025/citi-and-sdx-join-forces-to-unlock-access-to-tokenized-private-market-assets-for-global-issuers-and-investors