Standard Chartered now offers Bitcoin, Ether trading for institutional clients

The bank becomes the first global G-SIB to offer regulated spot cryptoasset trading

Last updated: July 15, 2025 | 12:11

2 MIN READ

Standard Chartered is headquartered in Britain and answers primarily to UK regulators.

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Dubai: Standard Chartered has launched a fully integrated digital assets trading service for institutional clients, becoming the first global systemically important bank (G-SIB) to offer deliverable spot trading in Bitcoin and Ether.

The new offering allows trading in BTC/USD and ETH/USD pairs via the bank’s UK branch, with plans to introduce non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) in the near future. Institutional clients – including corporates, asset managers and professional investors – can now trade and settle cryptoassets through familiar FX platforms and interfaces.

This milestone follows the successful rollout of Standard Chartered’s digital asset custody services. Clients trading crypto through the bank will have the flexibility to settle transactions with their preferred custodian, including Standard Chartered’s own FCA-registered custody solutions.

“As client demand accelerates further, we want to offer clients a route to transact, trade and manage digital asset risk safely and efficiently within regulatory requirements,” said Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered.

Growing interest

Tony Hall, Global Head of Trading and XVA at the bank, added: “With growing interest in regulated digital assets solutions, we are well positioned to meet client needs while capturing the opportunities in this space.”

The service is built on the bank’s regulated banking infrastructure and integrates institutional-grade risk controls and a robust balance sheet. This helps remove entry barriers for institutional clients seeking secure access to digital assets under a trusted framework.

The launch adds to Standard Chartered’s expanding suite of digital asset capabilities. These include its ventures Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, which focus on secure crypto custody and trading infrastructure, and Libeara, a platform for digital asset tokenisation.

With this move, Standard Chartered strengthens its leadership in the emerging digital finance ecosystem, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, compliance, and client-focused services.

Justin VargheseYour Money Editor

Justin is a personal finance author and seasoned business journalist with over a decade of experience. He makes it his mission to break down complex financial topics and make them clear, relatable, and relevant—helping everyday readers navigate today’s economy with confidence. Before returning to his Middle Eastern roots, where he was born and raised, Justin worked as a Business Correspondent at Reuters, reporting on equities and economic trends across both the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.