Singapore Gulf Bank (SGB) has announced a strategic partnership with Standard Chartered to enhance cross-border clearing and settlement flows, particularly in emerging markets. This collaboration is designed to improve SGB’s multi-currency services and payment rails, reducing friction in international transactions and supporting the bank’s digital asset strategy.
The partnership targets the Middle East and Asia corridor, where digital asset adoption is growing rapidly. Clients in these regions will benefit from smoother correspondent banking flows, leading to faster settlements. Shawn Chan, CEO of SGB, highlighted the importance of reliable, high-speed settlement for global businesses, noting that emerging markets often face structural disadvantages due to complex intermediary routing. “By partnering with Standard Chartered, SGB is resolving the bottlenecks and providing the modern infrastructure required to power the digital asset economy across these vital corridors,” Chan stated.
Karine Zakhour, Head of Banks Brokers and Dealers at Standard Chartered MENA, emphasised the accelerating pace of cross-border payment flows and the evolving infrastructure supporting them. She noted that Standard Chartered’s global network and clearing capabilities enable real-time, transparent settlement where it is most needed.
This announcement follows a series of milestones for SGB, including the launch of its corporate banking service in 2024 and the introduction of SGB Net in 2025 for real-time, multi-currency settlement. The bank has also partnered with digital asset infrastructure provider Fireblocks to enhance its treasury management and digital asset custody services.
