JPMorgan Prepares to Offer Crypto-Backed Loans Amid Shifting Regulatory Winds
JPMorgan is reportedly exploring plans to offer loans backed directly by clients’ cryptocurrency holdings—such as bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH)—marking a significant expansion of its digital asset strategy, according to a report from the Financial Times.
The bank is said to be eyeing a rollout as soon as next year, as the current regulatory environment under the Trump administration becomes more favorable to crypto innovation. This would represent a notable progression from JPMorgan’s existing offerings, which include lending against crypto-linked exchange-traded funds like BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).
The move also reflects a shift in tone from CEO Jamie Dimon, who has long been critical of cryptocurrencies. Last week, Dimon acknowledged that JPMorgan intends to deepen its engagement with stablecoins, even as he remained skeptical about their usefulness compared to traditional payment methods.
Unlike its earlier cautious stance, JPMorgan’s latest initiative would place it among a growing number of legacy financial institutions stepping into the crypto lending market, amid rising institutional demand for access to digital asset-backed financing.
JPMorgan declined to comment when contacted by CoinDesk.
