Institutional digital-asset operations need more than a wallet. They require secure custody, policy controls, multi-chain connectivity, tokenisation, settlement, and regulatory-grade auditability. Two platforms have separated from the pack by serving these needs at global scale.
- MPC-CMP wallet tech
Multi-party computation with customisable policy and disaster-recovery controls.
- 80+ blockchains
Native support across public L1s, L2s, and permissioned DLT networks.
- Tokenisation engine
Mint, burn, and manage tokenised assets including stablecoins and fund shares.
- 1,800+ institutions
Used by banks, asset managers, exchanges, and payment networks worldwide.
Key strengths
- Broadest blockchain coverage for institutional wallets
- Strong developer experience and API-first architecture
- Integrated tokenisation, payments, and DeFi access layers
- SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and major regulatory-license alignments
Best suited for
Banks, fintechs, and issuers that need multi-chain custody plus tokenisation and DeFi connectivity in one stack.
- ClearLoop settlement
Move assets off-exchange while keeping them under institutional custody.
- Global custody network
Cold and warm custody across major chains with regulated entities in the UK and Switzerland.
- Prime services
Trading, lending, staking, and structured-product connectivity for institutions.
- Regulatory focus
MiCA-ready infrastructure and strong alignment with Swiss and EU custody regimes.
Key strengths
- Pioneer in off-exchange settlement and counterparty-risk mitigation
- Deep prime-brokerage and trading integrations
- Strong Swiss and European regulatory positioning
- Tailored for hedge funds, asset managers, and trading desks
Best suited for
Institutional traders, funds, and asset managers that prioritise settlement efficiency, counterparty protection, and prime services.
Side-by-side comparison
Both platforms solve institutional-grade security and settlement, but with different primary emphases.
| Dimension | Fireblocks | Copper |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Multi-chain custody + tokenisation + DeFi APIs | Custody, prime services, off-exchange settlement |
| Core innovation | MPC-CMP wallet infrastructure | ClearLoop off-exchange settlement |
| Target users | Banks, issuers, fintechs, payment networks | Hedge funds, asset managers, trading desks |
| Blockchain coverage | 80+ public and permissioned networks | Major public chains + permissioned integrations |
| Tokenisation support | Native mint/burn engine for tokens and funds | Token custody and structured-product support |
| Settlement model | On-chain transfers with policy controls | Off-exchange settlement without moving assets to venues |
| Regulatory positioning | SOC 2, ISO 27001, BSAAML/KYC tooling | MiCA-aligned, Swiss and UK custody frameworks |
Retail & B2B payment flow (Stripe four-party model)
When a cardholder pays a merchant, four parties are involved — with Stripe orchestrating the transaction between the issuing and acquiring banks.
Card Holder
Initiates the payment using a debit or credit card.
Merchant
Accepts the payment via Stripe's checkout or API.
Issuing Bank
Authorises the charge and releases funds to the card network.
Acquiring Bank
Receives the settled funds from the network and credits the merchant.
Compliance & risk notes
The four-party card flow is heavily regulated. Stripe reduces operational friction, but the merchant — and ultimately the issuer — remain responsible for compliance, fraud controls, and dispute exposure.
- Identity verification of cardholders is handled by the issuing bank.
- Merchants undergo Stripe's own KYC/business verification before accepting payments.
- High-risk sectors or large volumes may trigger enhanced due diligence (EDD).
- Stolen card numbers, friendly fraud, and account takeover are the most common attack vectors.
- Machine-learning scoring plus manual rules can block suspicious transactions.
- Liability shift to the issuer is possible when 3D Secure is applied successfully.
- Excessive chargeback ratios can lead to higher fees or termination of processing.
- Clear descriptors, delivery confirmation, and T&Cs reduce dispute rates.
- Digital goods and cross-border transactions carry elevated chargeback risk.
- PCI DSS compliance is required for merchants that handle raw card data.
- GDPR and local data-protection laws govern transaction-data storage.
- PSR/PSD, MiCA, and national e-money regimes may classify or restrict certain activities.
How to choose
- You need to issue or manage tokenised assets across many chains.
- Your team wants a developer-first API and broad DeFi connectivity.
- You are building payments, treasury, or tokenisation products in-house.
- You trade with multiple exchanges and want to keep assets in custody.
- You need prime services, lending, staking, or structured products.
- Swiss/European regulatory alignment and MiCA readiness are priorities.
Explore the full stablecoin and tokenisation atlas
Dive deeper into issuance models, lifecycle, regulation, and analytics for tokenised money.