AnchorWatch Trust Company, a Nevada state-chartered trust company authorized by the Nevada Financial Institutions Division, has opened for business as a qualified bitcoin custodian. The service targets public companies, trusts, fiduciaries, and high-net-worth individuals seeking institutional-grade custody solutions.
The company's primary pricing distinction is a fixed-dollar fee structure tiered by vault size and capped at $10,000 per month annually. Unlike industry-standard percentage-of-assets pricing models, once a client reaches the cap, additional bitcoin purchases or price appreciation do not increase annual fees. AnchorWatch estimates this structure could generate six- or seven-figure annual savings for large enterprises compared to traditional qualified custodians.
Custody Models and Key Distribution
AnchorWatch Trust Company offers two qualified-custody arrangements. Flagship Custody gives ATC control of keys required for qualified custody while client trustees or executives hold additional keys. The multi-institution custody model distributes key control across three entities: AnchorWatch Trust Company, BitGo in the United States, and CoinCorner in the Isle of Man. The distributed approach addresses concentration risk at a single custodian, a concern heightened by past industry failures.
Insurance Coverage
Clients may apply for insurance policies issued in the client's or entity's name, backed by A+ rated Lloyd's of London syndicates. As a Lloyd's Coverholder, AnchorWatch can write up to $370 million in coverage limits per client. Insurance covers loss of Bitcoin from perils including violent coercion, kidnapping, and fraudulent acts by AnchorWatch itself. Coverage requires underwriting approval and is available to U.S.-domiciled companies and subsidiaries as well as U.S.-resident individuals. Custody without insurance may be available to a broader range of jurisdictions, subject to know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering requirements.
Platform Security
AnchorWatch's underlying custody platform, Trident Vault, has secured customer Bitcoin for 20 months. The platform has undergone security audits and reviews by firms Halborn and Doyensec, as well as technical review by the Lloyd's syndicates backing the insurance policies.
