tl;dr
Standard Chartered has become the first global systemically important bank to offer institutional clients direct, regulated spot trading services for Bitcoin and Ether through its UK branch. This enables corporates, asset managers, and institutional investors to trade these digital assets via famili...
Standard Chartered has launched spot trading services for Bitcoin and Ether through its UK branch, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer institutional clients direct, regulated access to these digital assets. This initiative allows corporates, asset managers, and institutional investors to trade Bitcoin and Ether via familiar foreign exchange trading platforms, with non-deliverable forwards set to be introduced soon as part of an expanding crypto product suite.
The bank’s group chief executive, Bill Winters, emphasized that as client demand for digital assets accelerates, Standard Chartered aims to provide a secure and efficient way to transact, trade, and manage digital asset risk while adhering to regulatory requirements. This move highlights a growing appetite among institutional investors to integrate digital assets into traditional portfolios and positions the bank as a leader among mainstream banks adapting to the evolving crypto market.
Standard Chartered has been steadily building its crypto presence through strategic partnerships and initiatives. In April 2025, it collaborated with OKX and Franklin Templeton to launch a digital collateral mirroring program designed to bridge traditional finance and digital asset management. Earlier in the year, its Hong Kong subsidiary partnered with Animoca Brands and HKT to develop a stablecoin venture, aiming to issue a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin under the city’s new regulatory framework, pending approval from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
The UK-based lender, known for its focus on emerging markets and institutional clients, has cautiously embraced crypto. Following regulatory challenges, both Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank have explored expanding crypto operations in the United States. With the introduction of spot trading, Standard Chartered significantly evolves the role of traditional banks in digital assets, allowing institutional clients to execute real-time transactions in Bitcoin and Ether within UK regulatory parameters, moving beyond the usual offerings of custody and indirect crypto exposure through structured products.
This development also serves a strategic purpose: by embedding crypto capabilities into its core financial infrastructure, Standard Chartered can better manage client risk, strengthen ties with progressive asset managers, and broaden its service offerings within a market increasingly geared towards on-chain finance. While many competitors grapple with internal policies and regulatory uncertainties, Standard Chartered’s move signals a confident bet that cryptocurrencies are becoming a permanent and integral part of institutional finance.