Apex Group to Expand Digital Asset Capabilities Through Collaboration with Zodia Custody

WHY THIS MATTERS
Apex Group’s move highlights how digital assets are steadily being absorbed into traditional financial infrastructure, rather than developing as a parallel system. Institutional demand is no longer centred on experimentation, but on secure, compliant access that fits within existing operating models. Custody remains one of the most critical barriers to this transition, particularly in Europe where regulatory clarity is advancing but still fragmented across jurisdictions.

By partnering with Zodia Custody, Apex is addressing this challenge head-on—offering institutions a way to access digital assets without building new infrastructure from scratch. The focus on sub-custody is key here. It allows banks, asset managers and fund administrators to extend services while maintaining established governance, risk and compliance frameworks. As regulatory approvals progress, this type of integrated model will likely become the standard approach for institutions entering digital assets at scale.

Apex Group Ltd. (“Apex Group”), a leading global financial services provider, plans to expand its digital asset servicing capabilities through a new collaboration between the European Depositary Bank (“EDB”), an Apex Group company, and Zodia Custody, the institution-first digital assets platform with shareholders and investors including Standard Chartered, Northern Trust, SBI Holdings, National Australia Bank, and Emirates NBD.

The initiative, subject to the relevant regulatory approvals for EDB across Luxembourg (CSSF), Ireland (CBI) and Malta (MFSA), will support the development of a trusted digital sub-custody service to meet growing client demand for secure and compliant access to digital assets, without requiring institutions to build parallel infrastructure from the ground up.

EDB selected Zodia Custody’s ‘Solutions’ offering following a comprehensive RFP and RFI process that evaluated leading providers across the digital asset ecosystem. The assessment prioritised institutional resilience, regulatory readiness, technological robustness and the ability to scale across key jurisdictions. Zodia Custody’s compliance-led framework and institution-focused infrastructure aligned closely with these requirements, positioning it strongly through the selection process.

Trusted by financial institutions, Zodia Custody’s Solutions offering, provides institutional-grade custody infrastructure that integrates directly into existing operating models. Designed to embed governance, security and regulatory standards by default, the platform enables institutions to extend their service offering under their own framework while benefiting from established technology, regulatory alignment and market connectivity.

The planned collaboration strengthens Apex Group’s digital asset strategy by anchoring its future offering in secure digital custody. It also supports EDB’s work to secure the permissions required to act as a digital asset custodian. Once integrated, Zodia Custody’s platform and Apex Group’s depositary and administration services will allow clients to access digital assets through a single, integrated provider – reducing operational complexity, accelerating time to market and enabling institutions to extend digital asset services without building parallel infrastructure from the ground up.

David Rhydderch, Global Head of Financial Solutions at Apex Group, commented:

“Our clients want access to digital assets in a way that is secure, transparent and aligned with regulatory expectations. Zodia Custody brings an institutional standard of custody that complements our model and supports the service we aim to build. This planned collaboration positions us to support clients as the digital asset market moves further into a regulated environment.”

Craig Perrin, Managing Director FI Solutions at Zodia Custody, said:

“For digital assets to move to the mainstream of institutional finance, the technology and capabilities supporting them must meet the standards of traditional custody. Sub-custody is not just an extension of capability, it is a key enabler that allows financial institutions to participate without redesigning their operating model from scratch.

Through our collaboration with EDB, we are enabling a trusted digital sub-custody model that integrates established depositary and fund administration frameworks. This approach provides institutions with greater certainty, strong safeguards for investors and a clearer pathway for digital assets to operate within the core architecture of global financial markets.”

FF NEWS TAKE
This is another clear step toward the institutionalisation of digital assets, but done in a way that prioritises familiarity over disruption. Instead of reinventing custody models, Apex is embedding digital assets into structures institutions already trust.

The partnership with Zodia also reinforces a broader trend: collaboration is becoming the fastest route to market. Rather than competing on infrastructure build, firms are aligning with specialist providers to accelerate capability while managing risk. As regulation tightens and client demand grows, these hybrid models—combining traditional finance expertise with crypto-native infrastructure—are likely to define how digital assets move into the mainstream.