Led by former Gemini executive Ira Auerbach, Nasdaq Digital Assets will initially offer bitcoin and ether custody services to financial institutions, taking on the likes of Coinbase and Anchorage Digital.

The unit - which still requires regulatory approval - is promising a custody solution that will incorporate liquidity and execution services to "address industry challenges around connectivity, availability, and efficiency".

The proprietary offering will "bring together the best attributes of hot and cold crypto wallets" providing a high degree of accessibility and scalability without compromising security.

Tal Cohen, EVP and head, North American Markets, Nasdaq, says: "Demand among institutional investors for engaging in digital assets has increased in recent years, and Nasdaq is well-positioned to accelerate broader adoption and drive sustainable growth.

"With our trusted brand and strong track record as a technology provider for the global capital markets, Nasdaq is uniquely placed to address industry pain points by improving liquidity, scalability, and resiliency, with the goal to engender greater trust and confidence in the digital assets ecosystem."

Meanwhile, Nasdaq says it is expanding its anti-financial crime technology capabilities for digital assets, rolling out a suite of crypto-specific detection capabilities.