RYKI, a licensed digital asset custodian and institutional crypto services provider operating in the Cayman Islands, and the Government of the Cayman Islands (CIG) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the jurisdiction's ability to investigate cyber-enabled financial crime and recover digital assets on behalf of victims. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS), Cayman Islands Bureau of Financial Investigation and the Cayman Islands Government’s Official Receiver, are the CIG’s agencies responsible for the technical execution of the partnership.
Under the arrangement, RYKI will support the RCIPS Cayman Islands Bureau of Financial Investigation and the Official Receiver by providing the secure custody, safeguarding, and, where applicable, conversion of digital assets connected to active investigations, as investigators respond to a growing volume of cryptocurrency-related fraud, ransomware, and cross-border financial crime cases. The collaboration reflects a broader recognition among regulators and industry that combating modern financial crime increasingly requires close cooperation between the public and private sectors.
"As a regulated custodian operating in the Cayman Islands, we see it as part of our responsibility to support the integrity of the financial ecosystem we operate in, not just serve our clients within it. Law enforcement plays a critical role in ensuring that bad actors cannot use digital assets to evade accountability. We're glad to contribute our technical expertise to that effort, and we see this as exactly the kind of public-private cooperation that a well-regulated financial centre like Cayman should be built on." - Lennon Sweeting, CEO, RYKI
Background and Significance Cyber-enabled financial crime has grown more sophisticated and more global in scope, with criminal networks routinely moving stolen funds across borders and between blockchains within minutes. For jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, a leading international financial centre with a substantial and growing digital asset sector, the ability to trace and recover illicit funds quickly has become a core component of maintaining market integrity and investor confidence.
The partnership fosters a working relationship between RYKI, the RCIPS Cayman Islands Bureau of Financial Investigation and the Official Receiver, by providing access to secure digital asset infrastructure and technical support related to the custody, management, and conversion of digital assets, complementing the CIG’s existing investigative and asset recovery capabilities. It is intended to operate alongside, not in place of, the established legal and regulatory framework overseen by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) and other relevant authorities.
Supporting Cyber Investigations and Asset Recovery As part of the collaboration, RYKI will assist the RCIPS Cayman Islands Bureau of Financial Investigation and the Official Receiver across several areas, including: • Secure custody and safeguarding of digital assets connected to active investigations, held in accordance with RYKI's regulated custody standards pending judicial process. • Conversion of digital assets to fiat currency or other approved forms, where required as part of a legal or regulatory process. • Secure preservation of digital assets that are subject to restraint or recovery orders, ensuring such assets are safely held pending the outcome of legal proceedings. • Facilitate asset sharing and multi-jurisdictional transfers, enabling the efficient repatriation of recovered digital assets to requesting jurisdictions. • Case-specific technical advisory support, drawing on RYKI's experience operating as a regulated custodian and OTC provider across multiple jurisdictions.
"Working alongside a regulated local partner with deep technical knowledge of how digital assets move gives our investigators an important additional capability. This partnership allows us to respond more effectively when Cayman residents and businesses are targeted, and it reinforces our commitment to keeping pace with the way financial crime is evolving." – Head, RCIPS Cayman Islands Bureau of Financial Investigation “The successful recovery, preservation and ultimate return of virtual assets to victims would not be possible without the proactive and technical collaboration of RYKI. RYKI’s adherence to Cayman’s robust regulatory standards has been vital in bridging the gap between blockchain investigation and confiscation. Their partnership has ensured that illicitly obtained digital assets are managed securely and returned expeditiously to those who have suffered loss, strengthening the integrity and resilience of Cayman’s financial ecosystem”- Official Receiver, Ministry of Finance & Economic Development.
About RYKI RYKI operates as a fully regulated global virtual asset service provider with licenses across multiple jurisdictions. In the Cayman Islands, RYKI holds a full CIMA VASP license. In Canada, RYKI Inc. operates under FINTRAC MSB Registration. RYKI Inc holds a full VASP registration in BVI by Financial Services Commission. As a fully licensed custodian, RYKI provides institutional-grade infrastructure for digital asset custody, OTC trading, and bespoke solutions. This multi- jurisdictional regulatory framework enables RYKI to deliver secure, compliant digital asset services designed for high-net-worth individuals, family offices, institutions, and crypto-native businesses across global markets. Media Contact For further information or comment, please contact: Bianca Mora Email: bianca@ryki.io Tel: +1 (345) 929-1675