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In a move that underscores growing institutional confidence in digital assets, Citigroup’s venture arm, Citi Ventures has invested in BVNK, a London-based fintech developing stablecoin payment infrastructure for global finance.
The undisclosed investment, announced this week, positions BVNK among the most valuable private fintechs in the crypto sector. Co-founder Chris Harmse told CNBC that BVNK’s valuation now exceeds $750 million, up from its last funding round in 2024.
“You’re seeing an explosion of demand for building on top of stablecoin infrastructure,” Chris Harmse, Co-founder, BVNK, in an interview with CNBC.
The BVNK stablecoin infrastructure expansion comes amid an unprecedented shift in the way banks and corporates manage liquidity, with blockchain networks becoming the backbone of next-generation payment systems. BVNK’s rails connect fiat and stablecoin accounts, enabling clients to send, receive, and convert assets in real time across more than 100 countries.
The company’s backers already include Coinbase Ventures, Tiger Global, and Haun Ventures, while Visa Ventures made a strategic investment earlier in 2025 to support BVNK’s cross-border payment expansion.
A key driver behind the BVNK stablecoin infrastructure expansion is the passage of the GENIUS Act as a U.S. bill that establishes a federal framework for stablecoin oversight.
The act mandates that issuers maintain fully backed reserves, undergo routine audits, and comply with anti-money-laundering (AML) standards, giving institutional investors new confidence to participate in stablecoin markets.
Harmse confirmed that BVNK has seen its fastest growth in the U.S. over the past 18 months, as regulatory clarity accelerates adoption.
“U.S. banks at the scale of Citi, because of the GENIUS Act, are putting their weight behind investing in leading businesses in the space,” Harmse added. “They want to ensure they’re at the forefront of this technological shift in payments.”
According to reports, Citi’s investment is part of a broader institutional trend: Wall Street banks are doubling down on stablecoin infrastructure as they prepare for a blockchain-integrated financial system.
The BVNK stablecoin infrastructure expansion aligns with Citi’s long-term digital asset strategy. CEO Jane Fraser announced in July that the bank was considering launching its own Citi-issued stablecoin and expanding its custody services for digital assets.
In September 2025, Citi raised its internal forecast for the stablecoin market, projecting the sector could reach $4 trillion by 2030, up from earlier estimates of $3.7 trillion according to a Bloomberg report.
Stablecoins are becoming the preferred medium for global settlements, Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, in remarks at the bank’s 2025 Digital Finance Forum.
By investing in BVNK, Citi aims to capitalize on infrastructure innovation rather than issuing tokens directly as a safer, more strategic bet in the evolving digital asset landscape.
Across the Atlantic, the Bank of England (BoE) is revisiting its proposed limits on stablecoin holdings after industry backlash. The central bank had initially set a £20,000 cap for individuals and £10 million for corporations, citing systemic risk concerns tied to large-scale adoption of stablecoins like USDT and USDC.
However, following pressure from fintech and banking lobby groups, the BoE is now considering exemptions for regulated crypto firms, potentially paving the way for expanded use of stablecoins in corporate finance.
Analysts believe such policy adjustments in both the U.K. and U.S. will accelerate the BVNK stablecoin infrastructure expansion, allowing the firm to serve enterprise clients seeking compliance-ready digital payment solutions.
For crypto investors, the BVNK stablecoin infrastructure expansion represents a strategic play on the “picks and shovels” of digital finance which is the infrastructure powering stablecoin and fiat interoperability.
With more institutions entering the space, investors can expect growth in companies enabling these integrations rather than speculative tokens alone.
Visa’s partnership with BVNK represents a critical milestone in connecting traditional finance with blockchain-powered settlements, Jesse Hemson-Struthers, CEO, BVNK, in a statement on the BVNK blog.
As major players like Citi, Visa, and Coinbase align behind BVNK, its position as a global stablecoin infrastructure leader appears increasingly solid which is a signal that traditional finance is not just observing crypto innovation but actively building within it.
