Taurus, Parafin broader institutional adoption with new partnership

Fintech companies Taurus and Parafin have partnered to deliver blockchain infrastructure to financial institutions in Europe and Latin America — a move aimed at accelerating the adoption of crypto custody and settlement services across both regions.

As part of the partnership, Taurus has integrated its product suite into Parafin’s institutional platform, creating an end-to-end solution for digital asset management, including custody, governance, and compliant token issuance, the companies announced on May 27.

Financial institutions using the integrated Taurus-Parafin solution will gain access to custody and tokenization services, real-time wallet execution and a full range of trading capabilities.

Taurus is an enterprise digital asset custody and tokenization solution that enables businesses to issue, store and trade a range of crypto products. 

Parafin, by contrast, is not a blockchain-native company; instead, it offers financial infrastructure and merchant services for small businesses. In December, the company was valued at $750 million following a $100 million late-stage funding round. 

Taurus said the Parafin partnership gives it deeper inroads into Latin America, a region known for its heightened crypto adoption. 

Related: Turkish digital bank Bankpozitif to debut crypto custody with Taurus

Institutional interest in Bitcoin and crypto is growing

While the relationship between financial institutions and digital assets has been complex and evolving, a wave of positive regulatory developments in the US and globally has spurred broader adoption.

Banks are increasingly offering custody services for digital assets, while some institutions now facilitate crypto trading and investment. Several large banks, including JPMorgan, have also experimented with blockchain technology. 

A significant turning point came in April, when the US Federal Reserve eased restrictions on financial institutions engaging in cryptocurrency activities. Bitcoin (BTC) advocate Michael Saylor called the move a major milestone for banks looking to support digital assets.

On May 23, The Wall Street Journal reported that a group of major banks, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and JPMorgan, has been discussing potentially issuing a stablecoin. 

The report surfaced amid rising speculation that the US banking sector sees yield-bearing stablecoins as a potential threat to its traditional business models.

Related: Institutional Bitcoin buying may soon price out retail — LONGITUDE panel