Anchorage Digital Bank Joins Ethena's Custody Network, Strengthening USDe's Infrastructure

Ethena Labs has revealed a strategic expansion in its custody infrastructure, with Anchorage Digital Bank officially securing its position as a key custodian supporting the assets backing USDe. This development adds to an already robust custodian network that includes Copper and Ceffu, further diversifying the foundation upon which the stablecoin operates.

**What Makes This Partnership Significant**

Anchorage Digital Bank holds a unique position in the crypto landscape as the first federally chartered crypto-native bank in the United States, operating under direct oversight from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This regulatory standing brings an additional layer of institutional credibility to USDe's infrastructure, signaling that the protocol's asset backing meets the highest compliance standards expected in traditional finance.

**Immediate Technical Implementation**

The integration has already begun with isolated wallet addresses—specifically those starting with 0xAFBb and 0xF270, both holding Ethereum reserves—now configured as segregated storage solutions. These addresses will be included in Ethena's weekly published proof of reserves reports, ensuring transparent verification of backing assets.

**Timeline for Enhanced Verification**

Beginning January 2026, Anchorage will transition to providing monthly signed custody proofs that will be publicly accessible, offering users an even more granular view of the custodial arrangements protecting their holdings. This scheduled rollout demonstrates a measured approach to integrating custody verification directly into user-facing mechanisms.

**Seamless User Experience Through Smart Contract Integration**

Perhaps most importantly, this custody solution will be embedded directly into USDe's minting and burning smart contracts. This architectural integration enables a frictionless user experience where holders can instantly convert USDe into supported stablecoins on-demand, removing traditional settlement delays and enhancing capital efficiency.

The addition of Anchorage to Ethena's custody ecosystem represents a meaningful step toward institutional-grade infrastructure for decentralized stablecoins, blending regulatory compliance with technological innovation.