A Guide to Crypto Custody and White Label Crypto Exchange Software

If you want to launch or run a crypto exchange, there are two fintech solutions you need to know about: crypto custody and white label crypto exchange software.

Crypto custody is the secure storage and management of digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies, tokens and stablecoins, on behalf of institutional and individual clients. Custody providers are third-party companies that offer the technology, infrastructure and regulatory licences needed to keep those assets safe.

White label crypto exchange software lets you launch your own branded crypto exchange using a pre-built platform. The top white label crypto exchange software providers supply the underlying technology (matching engine, wallets, user accounts and admin tools), while you customise the features, design and user experience. Many white label solutions include a built-in custody wallet or let you connect the custody provider of your choice.

Both are essential building blocks of a crypto exchange, but they also come with challenges that you need to address:

• Security: digital assets are exposed to hacking, theft and loss. Custody and exchange software need strong protections, such as encryption, multi-signature or MPC (multi-party computation) wallets, cold storage and strict admin access policies.
• Scalability: the platform has to handle growing trading volumes and more complex operations without losing speed or reliability. Operational features such as wallet sweeping and a wallet duster, which clears small leftover balances from user wallets, help keep the system efficient.
• Asset range: to compete, an exchange needs to support a variety of assets, from major cryptocurrencies to stablecoins such as USDT and USDC and ERC-20 tokens, and often services such as staking or rewards.
• Regulation: in most markets, running an exchange or holding clients’ crypto now requires a licence. In the European Union, crypto-asset service providers, including custodians and exchanges, need authorisation under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), and the transitional periods for firms operating under older national regimes ended by 1 July 2026 at the latest.

How to choose a crypto custody provider for your platform

When comparing custody providers, look at:

• Regulation: which licences the provider holds in the markets where you operate (for example, a MiCA authorisation in the EU or a trust charter in the US).
• Security model: cold and hot storage, multi-signature or MPC technology, and independent security audits.
• Insurance: whether assets are insured, for how much and under what conditions.
• Supported assets and networks: whether the provider supports the coins, tokens and blockchains you want to list.
• Integration: APIs and compatibility with your exchange software.
• Additional services: staking, settlement, trading or lending, if you need them.

These are some of the best-known crypto custody providers:

• Coinbase Custody: Coinbase’s institutional custody business, offered through Coinbase Prime and operated by Coinbase Custody Trust Company, a trust company chartered in New York. It offers cold storage, insurance coverage and integration with Coinbase’s trading services.
• BitGo: one of the largest institutional custodians, known for multi-signature wallets and insurance coverage. In December 2025, the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) conditionally approved the conversion of BitGo Bank & Trust into a national trust bank.
• Anchorage Digital: the first crypto company to receive a US federal bank charter from the OCC, in 2021, offering custody, staking and settlement for institutions.
• Gemini Custody: operated by Gemini Trust Company, regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services, with a focus on security and compliance.
• NYDIG: a provider specialised in bitcoin, offering custody alongside trading and other services for institutions.

If your platform serves European clients, also check whether the custody provider, or its EU entity, is authorised under MiCA in an EU country, since that authorisation can be passported across the EU.

Conclusion

Crypto custody and white label exchange software are the two main building blocks for launching a crypto exchange: the software gives you a ready-made platform for development, and the custody provider keeps your clients’ assets secure and compliant. When choosing, weigh security, regulation, supported assets and integration, and make sure both the software and the custody solution meet the licensing rules of the markets where you operate.