TLDR:BitGo Bank & Trust is OCC-chartered, providing the regulated custodial layer for the new institutional DeFi platform.Concrete’s vault architecture uses synthetic asset representations to reduce bridge risk in onchain strategies.Institutions can access vetted onchain vault strategies without moving assets out of qualified custody.Both firms plan to expand the platform to support more assets, strategies, and institutional use cases ahead.BitGo Bank & Trust and Concrete have announced a strategic partnership targeting institutional investors in digital assets. The collaboration aims to resolve a long-standing challenge: accessing onchain returns while keeping assets in regulated custody. Together, the two firms are piloting a platform that combines Concrete’s vault strategies with BitGo’s OCC-chartered trust infrastructure. This partnership targets treasury operators and asset managers managing idle balance sheet capital.Bridging Qualified Custody and Onchain StrategiesInstitutions have historically faced a clear trade-off in digital asset management. Keeping assets in qualified custody often meant forgoing onchain yield opportunities. This new platform is designed to close that gap for regulated clients. Assets remain held in BitGo Bank & Trust custodial accounts throughout the process.BitGo Bank & Trust is a federally-chartered, non-depository national trust bank. It operates under OCC oversight, meeting strict capital, audit, and compliance standards. These controls form the regulatory foundation of the partnership. The setup is intended to satisfy institutional governance requirements from the outset.Concrete contributes its vault architecture to the platform. The system uses synthetic representations of digital assets to access onchain strategies. This approach is designed to reduce bridge risk compared to traditional DeFi models. Clients can monitor performance through a dedicated dashboard provided by Concrete.Nicholas Roberts-Huntley, CEO of Blueprint Finance, addressed the core problem the partnership solves. “For too long, institutions have been forced to choose between security and optimized asset growth,” he said. He added that the program creates a meaningful path for institutions to put digital assets to work. Concrete’s vault strategies serve as the onchain layer, with BitGo’s custody infrastructure as the foundation.Expanding the Institutional DeFi FrameworkThe initial pilot focuses on a defined set of vault strategies operated by Concrete. Each vault aligns to a distinct onchain asset growth approach. The structure supports governance workflows, compliance reporting, and policy enforcement. These features are central to institutional adoption of DeFi infrastructure.Mike Belshe, CEO and Co-founder of BitGo, spoke directly to what institutions are demanding. “Institutions are looking for ways to access digital asset opportunities without compromising the controls, oversight, and custody standards they require,” he stated. He noted that the collaboration is designed to give clients access to onchain strategies within BitGo’s custody infrastructure. The goal is to help clients pursue new opportunities while maintaining governance and compliance standards.Both companies plan to expand the platform over time. Additional assets, strategies, and institutional use cases are expected to follow. The goal is to support growing demand for compliant DeFi infrastructure. This expansion will build on the existing vault framework already in development.The partnership reflects a broader shift in how institutions are approaching digital assets. Regulated access models are gaining traction across the industry. As BitGo noted on X, the result is a regulated foundation for treasury operators and asset managers seeking to make balance sheet capital more productive. The platform is now in its pilot phase, with wider availability expected ahead. The post BitGo Bank & Trust and Concrete Partner to Offer Institutional DeFi Access in Qualified Custody appeared first on Blockonomi.