Standard Chartered has announced the launch of a fully integrated digital assets trading service for institutional clients, marking a significant milestone in the financial services industry. The service, available through the bank’s UK branch, includes spot trading for Bitcoin (XBT/USD) and Ether (XET/USD) and will soon expand to include non-deliverable forwards (NDFs). This makes Standard Chartered the first global systemically important bank to offer deliverable spot cryptoasset trading to corporates, investors, and asset managers.
The new trading service is seamlessly integrated with Standard Chartered’s existing platforms, allowing institutional clients to trade cryptoassets through familiar foreign exchange interfaces. Clients can choose their preferred custodian, including Standard Chartered’s own secure digital assets custody solutions. As a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)-registered cryptoasset service provider, the bank ensures a regulated and secure trading environment, supported by its robust balance sheet and institutional-grade risk controls.
Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered, emphasised the importance of digital assets in the evolution of financial services, stating, “Digital assets are a foundational element of the evolution in financial services. They’re integral to enabling new pathways for innovation, greater inclusion, and growth across the industry.”
Tony Hall, Global Head of Trading and XVA, Markets, at Standard Chartered, added, “With growing interest in regulated digital assets solutions, we are well positioned to meet client needs whilst capturing the opportunities in this space.”
This launch is part of Standard Chartered’s broader strategy to expand its digital asset capabilities, which already include custody and trading services through its ventures, Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, and digital asset tokenisation services via Libeara.
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