The crypto banking map is being rewritten: this is how the game is changing after the collapse of SilverGate

The fall of SilverGate and Signature Bank in 2023 shook the industry, but rather than paralyzing the sector, it accelerated a silent yet profound reorganization of the banking ecosystem. Bloomberg investigated what is really happening behind the scenes.

The new order: fragmented and decentralized

What was once a handful of banks concentrated in the U.S. is now a global mosaic. Crypto companies no longer rely on a single friendly player — they seek alternatives in three continents simultaneously.

United States: in search of the missing link

Traditional crypto liquidity repositories on US soil are being replaced by more agile regional lenders:

• Customers Bancorp ( Pennsylvania ) operates CBIT, the 24/7 payment platform that uses Circle for $USDC
• Cross River Bank keeps Coinbase and Circle on its books.
• Western Alliance Bank built a division dedicated to blockchain
• Axos Financial ( used by #Binance.US ) slowed down its crypto plans after regulatory pressure
• FV Bank in Puerto Rico allows you to hold $BTC and USD in the same account

The reality: the U.S. landscape is smaller, more cautious, more regulated.

Asia: where real money is concentrating

While the U.S. contracts, Asia advances:

• DBS Group (Singapore, founded 1968) — the #1 bank in Southeast Asia — launched its own digital exchange for cryptocurrencies.
• Standard Chartered (London/Asia) serves a “very select” group in Singapore, Hong Kong, and UAE
• ZA Bank ( Hong Kong ) plans to become the fiat-to-crypto gateway of the Asian giant.

The reality: Asia is building institutional infrastructure, not just speculation.

Europe: the regulatory refuge

• SEBA Bank and Sygnum Bank (Switzerland) offer custody, tokenization, and even credit cards in crypto.
• Bank Frick & Co (Liechtenstein) — the crypto bank of continental Europe
• BCB Group (London) has created Blinc, its instant payment network in multiple currencies.
• Clear Junction acts as a gateway to UK and international accounts.

The reality: Europe is legislating the way, not prohibiting it.

The invisible pattern

As U.S. regulators close doors, crypto capital flows to three power poles: Asia for institutional volume, Switzerland for premium custody, and the United Kingdom for payment infrastructure. There is no longer a “crypto bank” — there is a fragmented, multinational, and more resilient crypto banking system.

The industry learned the lesson of 2023: never rely on a single trusted intermediary.