TD Bank Embraces Bitcoin: “Traditional Finance vs. Crypto Is a Thing of the Past”

▲ Bitcoin (BTC), bank/ChatGPT-generated image

The boundary between traditional finance and decentralized finance is collapsing. As a result, a massive paradigm shift has begun, with global major banks incorporating Bitcoin into the core of the institutional asset framework and overhauling the financial system as a whole.

According to a video released on February 27 (local time) by cryptocurrency-focused media outlet Bitcoin Magazine, TD Bank CEO Jeffrey Solomon emphasized the achievements of the strong partnership built over the past five years with Strategy during his speech at the “Strategy World 2026” conference hosted by Strategy. Solomon stated that even after Cowen was acquired by global banking giant TD Bank, it has continued to lead innovation in transforming Bitcoin (BTC) into an asset accessible to all investors. The process of fundamentally shifting perceptions of cryptocurrency within major institutions and proving its suitability within regulatory frameworks has been recorded as a significant milestone for the financial industry.

With a history spanning more than 100 years, Cowen demonstrated resilience by overcoming the Great Depression and wars, and after the 2009 financial crisis, it maintained a strategy of focusing investments on companies pursuing disruptive innovation. Solomon explained that in a market dominated by passive strategies focused on index investing, Cowen’s identity lies in helping clients generate alpha that outperforms market returns. He added that Cowen was the only firm on Wall Street bold enough to declare, “We will help you outperform the market,” and that its expertise continues to create synergy in the digital asset sector following its integration with TD Bank.

Between 2024 and 2025, Strategy demonstrated unprecedented financial innovation by issuing approximately $34 billion in shares through an At-the-Market (ATM) program to raise funds for Bitcoin purchases. Solomon analyzed that the ATM method departed from institution-centered public offerings and realized the democratization of finance by allowing individual investors to directly purchase shares in the market. Unlike typical corporations that only fulfill quarterly disclosure obligations, Strategy provides a decisive point of differentiation by transparently disclosing the scale of its purchases in real time, offering investors a high level of trust.

The future banking industry is expected to move beyond the traditional model of simply accepting deposits and issuing loans, reorganizing instead around the movement of capital, fees, and advisory services. Mentioning the current trend of regulators urging banks to embrace digital assets, Solomon cited the case of Canadian authorities raising the allowable limit for digital asset holdings to 1–5% of capital. As regulators seek to understand the cryptocurrency ecosystem from within the system, banks are focusing on establishing new financial standards through the development of stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and Bitcoin-based products.

Traditional financial institutions are no longer ignoring cryptocurrencies but are instead partnering with disruptive innovators, actively engaging in the ecosystem and pursuing structural change. The collaborative model demonstrated by TD Bank and Cowen has become a key example of how major financial institutions can secure leadership in the digital asset market. In accordance with regulatory guidance, the movement to open financial architecture and combine innovative asset-raising methods is expected to accelerate further.

Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference purposes only, and no responsibility is assumed for investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted solely for informational purposes.