Standard Chartered Launches Regulated Crypto Trading for Institutions

Standard Chartered has launched a regulated crypto trading service for institutions, offering spot Bitcoin and Ether through its FX platform. This move is a significant step in the integration of traditional banking with the crypto sector, providing institutions with a secure and compliant way to access digital assets. The service is available to corporates, asset managers, hedge funds, and other institutional investors, who can trade using familiar systems and settle with custodians like Zodia Custody. The bank plans to add non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) soon, which are contracts that track the price movement of an asset without actual delivery, helping manage risk.

Standard Chartered Crypto integrates spot trading into its existing foreign exchange (FX) platforms, allowing institutional clients to access Bitcoin and Ether trading through systems they already use. The process supports flexible settlement with approved custodians, including Zodia Custody, in which the bank holds a stake. Trading is currently open during Asia and Europe hours, with plans to expand to nearly round-the-clock service based on client interest. This approach reflects the bank’s commitment to trust, regulation, and market standards, as institutions want reliable access to crypto through familiar banking infrastructure.

Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, emphasized the bank's goal to help clients manage digital asset exposure “safely and efficiently within regulatory requirements.” Rene Michau, the bank’s global head of digital assets, reinforced this point, stating that institutions seek direct and unrestricted access to crypto without the need for unregulated exchanges. The service is part of a broader institutional push to meet demand through secure and compliant channels, setting a new benchmark by offering the first deliverable spot trading service for Bitcoin and Ether from a global bank.

Standard Chartered has developed NDFs or Non-Deliverable Forward contracts meant to allow institutional clients to hedge against price fluctuations in cryptocurrency without having to hold the actual commodity. While they exist most prominently in traditional finance for currency exposure management, Standard Chartered is adapting them for digital assets. This will expand its offering while keeping clients within compliance boundaries. The timing of this launch coincides with the growing appetite for fintech products based on cryptos, such as ETFs, and with the increased institutional interest in the digital asset space. Other cryptographic ventures that Standard Chartered has supported include alliances with FalconX and tokenization initiatives using its platform, Libeara.

Other major financial players have explored crypto custody and brokerage services, but Standard Chartered Crypto is the first from a global systemically important bank to deliver a regulated spot product aimed directly at institutions. The bank has also built strategic partnerships with digital asset firms, including Zodia Markets and FalconX, which further support infrastructure for high-volume institutional trading. This development is likely to encourage other banks to take similar steps, pushing crypto further into mainstream finance.