The Core Foundation has teamed up with digital asset custodian Hex Trust to introduce institutional Bitcoin staking services across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. The initiative is designed to give institutional investors a secure and compliant way to earn on-chain rewards while retaining control of their digital assets.
Expanding Bitcoin’s Utility Through Institutional Staking
The collaboration allows eligible clients to stake both Bitcoin (BTC) and CORE tokens simultaneously through Hex Trust’s regulated custodial infrastructure. This dual staking model, developed by Core, enables institutions to lock in assets and earn blockchain rewards without liquidating their holdings.
By providing exposure to BTCFi (Bitcoin finance), the initiative aims to extend Bitcoin’s use beyond being a store of value, allowing institutions to generate sustainable yield streams through on-chain participation.
“Staking gives Bitcoin a productive role,” explained Hong Sun, Institutional Contributor at Core, noting that the partnership with Hex Trust represents “a critical step in unlocking Bitcoin’s potential in emerging markets.”
Secure Custody and Risk Management
One of the key strengths of the partnership is its emphasis on security and transparency. Hex Trust’s custody solution ensures that assets remain self-custodied, reducing counterparty risk and maintaining institutional-grade oversight.
Calvin Shen, Chief Commercial Officer at Hex Trust, highlighted that the platform is tailored to meet the needs of family offices and institutional investors across APAC and MENA, markets where regulatory clarity and operational safeguards are top priorities.
By combining regulated infrastructure with staking opportunities, the offering addresses one of the central barriers to institutional crypto adoption—ensuring that yield-generation strategies align with compliance frameworks.
Live Reward Calculator for Institutions
Another standout feature of the service is Hex Trust’s live reward calculator, which gives institutions real-time estimates of expected annual yields. The tool allows investors to adjust their strategies by comparing staking tiers, boosted rates, and expected returns, offering greater transparency and control over performance.
This functionality reflects a growing demand among institutions for data-driven insights in blockchain-based investment strategies. By integrating advanced yield estimation, Core and Hex Trust provide institutions with tools to optimize returns without venturing into speculative trading.
Meeting Institutional Demand in APAC and MENA
The launch of institutional Bitcoin staking comes at a time of accelerating digital asset adoption in both the APAC and MENA regions. These markets are witnessing increased demand for regulated, scalable crypto investment products as governments and financial institutions explore blockchain’s role in economic diversification.
By leveraging Core’s blockchain infrastructure alongside Hex Trust’s custodial expertise, the partnership offers a comprehensive framework for institutions to participate in staking securely and compliantly.
“APAC and MENA are home to some of the world’s fastest-growing digital asset markets,” Shen said, adding that the new offering is positioned to meet the expectations of institutional clients seeking risk-managed blockchain exposure.
Driving Growth in the BTCFi Ecosystem
The initiative is expected to contribute to the development of the BTCFi ecosystem, a growing segment of decentralized finance that builds yield strategies around Bitcoin. Unlike speculative trading, BTCFi products focus on generating steady returns through blockchain participation, making them attractive to institutional investors with long-term mandates.
Core and Hex Trust believe their collaboration will not only expand Bitcoin’s utility but also set a benchmark for institutional-grade staking services, where security, compliance, and transparency are non-negotiable.
Looking Ahead
As the demand for institutional crypto products continues to grow, partnerships like this one highlight how blockchain infrastructure providers and custodians are working together to meet investor expectations. By merging yield opportunities with secure asset management, Core and Hex Trust are paving the way for broader adoption of Bitcoin as a productive asset class in institutional portfolios.
If successful, the initiative could accelerate Bitcoin’s evolution from a passive store of value to an active component of global financial markets, unlocking new revenue streams for institutions in APAC, MENA, and beyond.
