Strategy launches Bitcoin Banking Index as institutional adoption hits 32%

Major banks have adopted roughly a third of the Bitcoin economy, according to a new index from Strategy that ranks 25 global lenders on their crypto services.

Institutional Bitcoin adoption among the world's largest banks stands at 32%, Strategy's newly launched Bitcoin Banking Adoption Index shows, scoring 25 lenders across four service categories.

"Major-bank Bitcoin adoption is accelerating, but still early: 32% overall as measured by the index," Michael Saylor, executive chair of Strategy, said.

Fidelity leads the ranking at 71%, far ahead of BNY at 46% and Goldman Sachs at 45%. JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup each scored near 43%. European lenders including Banco Santander and Societe Generale sit around 35%, while Japan's SMBC and Royal Bank of Canada trail at 13%. The index grades banks on trading and custody, spot Bitcoin ETFs and stablecoin products, lending, and executive support.

The index creates a public benchmark that could accelerate institutional inflows by introducing competitive pressure among banks. Strategy, which holds 843,775 Bitcoin — the largest corporate treasury of any public company — has a direct stake in deeper bank adoption. The company said methodology details and updates will follow.

How the Index Measures Bank Adoption

The index functions as a report card, combining scores across four weighted categories into a single percentage. Many of the products tracked are new: US regulators approved the first spot Bitcoin ETFs only in January 2024. The stablecoin market, another graded category, has since grown to more than $170 billion in total supply, according to DefiLlama data.

Strategy drew the rankings from public data as of July 10 and described the figures as approximate. The company invited corrections from the banks it scored, a move that will test how seriously Wall Street treats the ranking.

What the 32% Score Means for Bitcoin

A 32% overall score means banks have built roughly a third of the Bitcoin-related infrastructure that Strategy tracks. The blended nature of the score means a firm can rank high on custody yet low on lending — a gap that highlights where the next phase of adoption may come.

Bitcoin traded near $61,900 at the time of the index publication, down more than 3 percent on the day. Saylor's longer-term outlook hinges on banks deepening their involvement across all four categories, particularly in lending and stablecoin products where scores remain lowest.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.