AnchorWatch has launched its Nevada state-chartered trust company, opening a qualified Bitcoin custody service for fiduciaries, public companies, trusts and high-net-worth individuals.
New custody service targets institutions
AnchorWatch Trust Company, authorized by Nevada’s Financial Institutions Division to operate as a custodian, opened for business on Monday, the company said. The service is designed in part for public companies holding Bitcoin, a group that has grown as more corporations have placed BTC on their balance sheets.
Qualified custody is a regulated arrangement in which an institution safeguards assets for clients while meeting specified custody and control requirements. AnchorWatch is presenting its Nevada trust company, known as ATC, as the custody arm of its Bitcoin-focused insurance and custody business.
According to Bitcoin Magazine, the company’s main commercial distinction is its fee structure. Rather than charging a percentage of assets under custody, ATC uses fixed-dollar annual fees based on vault size, with a maximum charge of $10,000 per month. Once a client reaches that limit, further Bitcoin purchases or an increase in Bitcoin’s market value will not raise the annual custody fee.
AnchorWatch said the cap could represent potential annual savings of six or seven figures for large enterprises using qualified custody. The statement did not provide specific fee comparisons or savings for individual clients.
Two custody structures
ATC offers two custody models. Under Flagship Custody, ATC holds the keys needed for qualified custody, while the client’s trustees or executives retain additional keys.
Its multi-institution option spreads key control among three organizations: AnchorWatch Trust Company, BitGo in the United States and CoinCorner in the Isle of Man. The structure is intended to address concentration risk—the possibility that relying on a single custodian could expose an institution to a single point of failure. AnchorWatch linked that concern to previous failures in the digital-asset industry.
Clients can also apply for insurance issued in the name of the covered client or entity. AnchorWatch contrasts that setup with policies held in a custodian’s name, which it says may create uncertainty over a client’s position when a claim is made.
Insurance and eligibility
The insurance is provided by AnchorWatch and backed by A+ rated Lloyd’s of London syndicates. As a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder, AnchorWatch says it can write up to $370 million in limits for each ATC client, subject to underwriting approval and policy terms.
The policies can cover Bitcoin losses linked to perils including violent coercion and kidnapping, as well as losses resulting from fraudulent acts by AnchorWatch itself. Insurance is available to U.S.-domiciled companies and subsidiaries and to individuals who reside in the United States. Custody without insurance may be available in a wider range of jurisdictions, subject to know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering requirements.
AnchorWatch said its underlying Trident Vault platform has secured customer Bitcoin for 20 months. The platform has been audited or reviewed by Halborn, Doyensec and technical underwriters for the Lloyd’s syndicates supporting the insurance policies.
Market picture
Moneyiar market data at 11:19 a.m. on October 21, 2026, showed Bitcoin at $83,310.7328, up 2.33% over 24 hours and down 0.07% over seven days. Cardano was $0.2258000, up 4.44% in 24 hours and down 3.68% over seven days. Monad traded at $0.0224021, up 8.15% daily and down 8.82% weekly, while Compound stood at $25.5496, up 9.72% daily and 11.97% over seven days.
