Crypto Custodian BitGo Adds AVAX Support as Institutions Eye Avalanche

It means BitGo clients, such as exchanges Bitstamp and Bitbuy, can now offer AVAX to their users.

AccessTimeIconDec 16, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:02 p.m. UTC

Crypto custody firm BitGo will support AVAX, the native token of Avalanche, in the latest sign of institutional interest in the high-speed blockchain.

The news from BitGo comes after Bank of America analysts said Avalanche could be a viable alternative to Ethereum for decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gaming. It also opens the door for BitGo clients, including exchanges Bitstamp and Bitbuy, to offer AVAX to their users.

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  • BitGo says it currently holds over $64 billion worth of crypto assets, a representative told CoinDesk.

    “Not only is BitGo trusted and allows us to provide more access to our native tokens on Avalanche,” John Wu, president of Ava Labs, told CoinDesk in an interview, “but given the enterprise push, and the institutional support of Avalanche, this really is a very powerful company to partner with.”

    Deloitte recently announced it would be using Avalanche for its Close As You Go disaster relief platform. Mastercard also tapped Ava Labs for its crypto accelerator program in early December.

    For BitGo, the tie-up was attractive given Avalanche’s “explosive growth over the last year,” CEO Mike Belshe said in a statement. Notably, however, it will also allow BitGo clients to offer AVAX to their customers.

    Said Belshe: “Institutional investors can now access AVAX within the most secure custody offering on the market and tens of millions of retail users have the potential to gain secure access through the exchanges and platforms powered by our technology.”

    Both Bitstamp and Bitbuy plan to list AVAX in early 2022 through BitGo, according to a press release.

    Data site DeFi Llama ranks Avalanche fifth in terms of total value locked (TVL), or the dollar value of crypto assets committed to a blockchain’s various applications. Avalanche’s $11.16 billion currently sits right behind Solana’s $11.72 billion.

    BitGo was acquired for $1.2 billion by Galaxy Digital earlier this year in a deal that is still being finalized.

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    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Eli Tan

    Eli was a news reporter for CoinDesk. He holds ETH, SOL and AVAX.


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