Three Services, Fifteen YearsWide moat

Citigroup (C) — moat facet

Citi's corporate clients have run their cash through it for fifteen years, and the wiring is what keeps them.

Services deposits are sticky for a reason Citi spells out. The majority of its $1.4 trillion of deposits are institutional, about $934 billion across roughly 90 countries1. A large majority sit in Treasury and Trade Solutions, and of those, over 70% come from clients that use all three of its integrated services: payments and collections, liquidity management and working capital solutions2. About 80% of TTS deposits come from clients with a relationship longer than 15 years3.

Institutional deposits: how stickyEnd-2025 deposits$1.4 trillionInstitutional shareabout $934 billionTTS clients using all three servicesover 70%TTS deposits from 15-year clientsabout 80%Average Services deposits, Q2 2026$1,017 billionCitigroup Form 10-K FY2025; Q2 2026 earnings release
Deposits held by clients wired into three services.

A treasurer who pays suppliers, sweeps cash and finances receivables through one bank has wired that bank into the company's accounting systems. Moving means rebuilding the payment files, the account structure and the controls in every country at once. Few companies do it without a crisis.

The balances show it. Average Services deposits were $878 billion in 20254 and $1,017 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 19% on a year earlier5. Services earned a 24.6% return on tangible common equity in 2025, on $33.0 billion of allocated capital6.

The deposits sit mostly in treasury services. Average TTS deposits were $732 billion in 2025 and Securities Services deposits $146 billion; the two together were $806 billion in 20217. The base grew even as interest rates rose and clients had better places to park surplus cash.

Both halves of treasury services grew, but not at the same pace. TTS net interest income went from $5,963 million in 2021 to $12,238 million in 2025, more than double, and its non-interest revenue from $3,224 million to $4,408 million, about 37%89. The integrated client pays for the services and leaves the cash, and the cash earned more.

Lending grew too: TTS average loans were $72 billion in 2021 and $92 billion in 202510.

Stickiness is a claim about behaviour under stress, and the figures above come from a calm year. The test is the next deposit outflow across the banking system: average Services deposits down more than a tenth from their peak would mean the fifteen-year clients were less loyal than the table suggests.

Moat trajectory: Holding steady

About 80% of TTS deposits from 15-year clients; Services deposits $1,017bn in Q2 2026.

The number that tests this moat
Reported
Average Services deposits, latest quarter
$1,017bn (Q2 2026), up 19% year on year

The balance the network holds; a fall of more than a tenth from the peak would mean the long-standing clients were leaving.

Source: Citigroup Q2 2026 earnings release, institutional businesses ↗
⚠ Threats to the moat
⚠ THREAT 01
Institutional Money Moves in a Day
Citi's deposits fell two years running after 2022, and most of them are institutional money that can move quickly.
References
  1. ReportedThe majority of its $1.4 trillion of deposits are institutional, about $934 billion across roughly 90 countries.
    Citigroup Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 - deposits: average balances and rates, institutional deposit composition, deposits by office and interest-rate sensitivity. — FY2025 · publ. 20 February 2026 · source ↗
  2. ReportedA large majority sit in Treasury and Trade Solutions, and of those, over 70% come from clients that use all three of its integrated services: payments and collections, liquidity management and working capital solutions.
    Citigroup Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 - deposits: average balances and rates, institutional deposit composition, deposits by office and interest-rate sensitivity. — FY2025 · publ. 20 February 2026 · source ↗
  3. ReportedAbout 80% of TTS deposits come from clients with a relationship longer than 15 years.
    Citigroup Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 - deposits: average balances and rates, institutional deposit composition, deposits by office and interest-rate sensitivity. — FY2025 · publ. 20 February 2026 · source ↗
  4. ReportedAverage Services deposits were $878 billion in 2025 and $1,017 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 19% on a year earlier.
    Citigroup Historical Quarterly Financial Data Supplement 2021-2025 recast to the first-quarter 2026 segments - Services: revenue by line and type, geography, deposits, loans, cross-border transaction value, clearing volume, custody assets and returns. — FY2021-FY2025 · publ. 3 April 2026 · source ↗
  5. ReportedAverage Services deposits were $878 billion in 2025 and $1,017 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 19% on a year earlier.
    Citigroup second-quarter 2026 earnings release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - Services, Markets and Banking results and key metrics. — Q2 2026 · publ. 14 July 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedServices earned a 24.6% return on tangible common equity in 2025, on $33.0 billion of allocated capital.
    Citigroup Historical Quarterly Financial Data Supplement 2021-2025 recast to the first-quarter 2026 segments - Services: revenue by line and type, geography, deposits, loans, cross-border transaction value, clearing volume, custody assets and returns. — FY2021-FY2025 · publ. 3 April 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedAverage TTS deposits were $732 billion in 2025 and Securities Services deposits $146 billion; the two together were $806 billion in 2021.
    Citigroup Historical Quarterly Financial Data Supplement 2021-2025 recast to the first-quarter 2026 segments - Services: revenue by line and type, geography, deposits, loans, cross-border transaction value, clearing volume, custody assets and returns. — FY2021-FY2025 · publ. 3 April 2026 · source ↗
  8. ReportedTTS net interest income went from $5,963 million in 2021 to $12,238 million in 2025, more than double, and its non-interest revenue from $3,224 million to $4,408 million, about 37%.
    Citigroup Historical Quarterly Financial Data Supplement 2021-2025 recast to the first-quarter 2026 segments - Services: revenue by line and type, geography, deposits, loans, cross-border transaction value, clearing volume, custody assets and returns. — FY2021-FY2025 · publ. 3 April 2026 · source ↗
  9. Moat Explorer calcTTS net interest income went from $5,963 million in 2021 to $12,238 million in 2025, more than double, and its non-interest revenue from $3,224 million to $4,408 million, about 37%.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Citigroup segment and Investor Day figures ($ millions unless stated). Firm: PPNR 30.1 / 24.0 - 1 = 25.4%, about 25% ($bn). Services: operating expenses 10,813 / 7,682 - 1 = 40.8%, about 41%; revenue 22,636 / 12,539 - 1 = 80.5%, about 81%; TTS net interest income 12,238 / 5,963 = 2.05 times; TTS non-interest revenue 4,408 / 3,224 - 1 = 36.7%, about 37%; quarterly Services net interest income 4,050 / 3,317 - 1 = 22.1%, about 22%; Securities Services net interest income 2,763 / 903 = 3.06 times, about three times; Securities Services non-interest revenue 3,227 / 2,449 - 1 = 31.8%, about 32%; interest share 2,763 / 5,990 = 46.1%, about 46%; North America 6,907 / 3,744 - 1 = 84.5%, about 84%; international 15,729 / 8,795 - 1 = 78.8%, about 79%; international share 8,795 / 12,539 = 70.1% (2021) and 15,729 / 22,636 = 69.5% (2025); TTS non-interest revenue quarterly 1,182 / 1,049 - 1 = 12.7%, about 13%; cross-border value quarterly 115.2 / 90.7 - 1 = 27.0%, about 27%; share of Citi average deposits Q2 2026 1,017 / 1,504 = 67.6%, about 68%; assets under custody 31.4 / 24.0 - 1 = 30.8%, about 31%; quarterly Securities Services revenue 1,787 / 1,271 - 1 = 40.6%, about 41%; average Services deposits 935 / 808 - 1 = 15.7%, about 16%. Markets: net interest income share 6,072 / 19,108 = 31.8%, about 32% (2021), 9,687 / 22,409 = 43.2%, about 43% (2025); average loans 141 / 111 - 1 = 27.0%, about 27%; average assets 1,203 / 941 - 1 = 27.8%, about 28%; average trading assets 533 / 340 - 1 = 56.8%, about 57%; rates and currencies 11,749 / 11,735 - 1 = 0.1%; equities 5,664 / 3,969 - 1 = 42.7%, about 43%; spread products 4,996 / 5,386 - 1 = -7.2%, about 7% below; Q4 2025 revenue 4,609 / 6,075 - 1 = -24.1%, about 24% below. Banking: international share 2,977 / 6,384 = 46.6%, about 47%; equity underwriting 699 / 2,152 - 1 = -67.5%, about two-thirds less; loan hedges -140 + 307 - 443 - 180 - 118 = -574; advisory 390 / 649 - 1 = -39.9%, about 40%. Wealth: net interest income share 7,582 / 11,272 = 67.3%, about 67%; international 4,243 / 3,382 - 1 = 25.5%, about 25%; North America 7,029 / 5,949 - 1 = 18.2%, about 18%; North America 7,029 / 5,878 - 1 = 19.6%, about 20%; operating expenses 9,455 / 9,374 - 1 = 0.9%, about 1%; revenue 11,272 / 9,733 - 1 = 15.8%, about 16%; international share 4,243 / 11,272 = 37.6%, about 38%; Private Bank 2,676 / 2,970 - 1 = -9.9%, about 10% below; Private Bank Q2 2025 excluding the gain 731 - 80 = 651, 769 / 651 - 1 = 18.1%, about 18%; Citigold and Retail Banking quarterly 2,010 / 1,502 - 1 = 33.8%, about 34%; Wealth at Work 930 / 691 - 1 = 34.6%, about 35%; average loans 199 / 182 - 1 = 9.3%, about 9%; client deposits 413 / 438 - 1 = -5.7%, about 6% lower. U.S. Consumer Cards: average loans 170 / 125 - 1 = 36.0%, about 36%; operating expenses 6,755 / 5,693 - 1 = 18.7%, about 19%; revenue 18,258 / 13,209 - 1 = 38.2%, about 38%; general-purpose spend 152.4 / 125.6 - 1 = 21.3%, about 21%; private-label spend 13.9 / 16.7 - 1 = -16.8%, about 17% less; rewards and partner payments 12,075 / 9,096 - 1 = 32.7%, about 33%; interchange 9,718 / 7,521 - 1 = 29.2%, about 29%; other fees 427 / 229 = 1.86 times, nearly double; Q4 over Q1 2025 rewards 3,215 / 2,821 - 1 = 14.0%, about 14%, interchange 2,526 / 2,285 - 1 = 10.5%, about 11%; 2025 acquisitions general-purpose 1,696 + 1,704 + 1,872 + 2,115 = 7,387 thousand, private-label 1,144 + 1,551 + 1,339 + 1,572 = 5,606 thousand; general-purpose average loans 138.6 / 95.2 - 1 = 45.6%, about 46%; private-label 29.8 / 27.3 - 1 = 9.2%, about 9%; net credit losses over net interest income 2,856 / 14,518 = 19.7%, about a fifth (2021), 7,457 / 19,243 = 38.8%, about 39% (2024), 7,290 / 20,169 = 36.1%, about 36% (2025). All Other: Asia consumer 812 / 3,871 = 21.0%, about a fifth; operating expenses 8,698 / 9,628 - 1 = -9.7%, about 10% less; managed revenue 4,442 / 9,491 = 0.47, down more than half; allocated tangible equity 39.2 / 27.7 - 1 = 41.5%, about 42%. Expenses ($bn): five businesses and Corporate/Other 49.1 / 43.2 - 1 = 13.7%, about 14%. Latest-quarter pass: Markets first-half revenue 7,246 + 7,007 = 14,253 against 6,075 + 5,980 = 12,055, up 18.2%, about 18%; Markets first-half net income 2,595 + 2,387 = 4,982; Banking 304 + 350 = 654; equities 2,080 + 2,301 = 4,381, and 4,381 / 5,664 = 77.3%, about 77%; investment banking 1,326 + 1,548 = 2,874, and 2,874 / 4,781 = 60.1%, about 60%; fixed income 16,745 / 14,115 - 1 = 18.6%, about 19%; equities 5,664 / 4,993 - 1 = 13.4%, about 13%; Markets expenses 13,253 / 12,450 - 1 = 6.4%, about 6%; Services North America share 1,339 / 5,043 = 26.6%, about 27% (1Q24), 1,939 / 6,272 = 30.9%, about 31% (4Q25); year-end deposits 1,403,573 / 1,284,458 - 1 = 9.3%, about 9%; Services average deposits 1,017 / 961 - 1 = 5.8%, about 6%; Cards first-half revenue 4,757 + 4,521 = 9,278 against 4,567 + 4,471 = 9,038, up 2.7%, about 3%; general-purpose loans 143.2 / 139.0 - 1 = 3.0%, about 3%; American Airlines 6.6 / 177 = 3.7%, about 4%; private-label 29.8 / (138.6 + 29.8 + 3.9) = 29.8 / 172.3 = 17.3%, about 17%; Wealth expenses 9,721 / 8,061 - 1 = 20.6%, about 21%; Wealth first-half net income 432 + 583 = 1,015 against 191 + 385 = 576, nearly double, and 639 + 511 = 1,150 in the first half of 2021; Citigold 2,181 / 3,177 = 68.6%, about 69%; Private Bank 757 / 664 - 1 = 14.0%, about 14%; Wealth at Work 246 / 268 - 1 = -8.2%, about 8% lower; U.S. non-interest-bearing deposits 121,610 / 734,662 = 16.6%, about 17%; tangible book value per share 100.89 / 97.06 - 1 = 3.9%, about 4%; JPMorgan, Bank of America and Wells Fargo 911.91 + 396.48 + 250.90 = 1,559.29, and 1,559.29 / 225.24 = 6.9, nearly seven times; Wealth expenses over revenue 2,377 / 3,177 = 74.8%, about 75% (Q2 2026). — FY2021-Q2 2026 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Citigroup's recast historical supplement, its Q2 2026 earnings release and its 2026 Investor Day presentation; operands shown in the source line.
  10. ReportedLending grew too: TTS average loans were $72 billion in 2021 and $92 billion in 2025.
    Citigroup Historical Quarterly Financial Data Supplement 2021-2025 recast to the first-quarter 2026 segments - Services: revenue by line and type, geography, deposits, loans, cross-border transaction value, clearing volume, custody assets and returns. — FY2021-FY2025 · publ. 3 April 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated September 28, 2026