Standard Chartered launches spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading service for institutional clients

London-based international banking group Standard Chartered launched a U.S. dollar-paired bitcoin and ether spot trading service on Tuesday for institutional clients, including corporates, investors, and asset managers.This makes Standard Chartered the "first global systemically important bank to offer secure, regulated and scalable access to bitcoin and ether deliverable spot trading," the bank stated in a press release."Digital assets are a foundational element of the evolution in financial services," Standard Chartered Group Chief Executive Bill Winters said. "They're integral to enabling new pathways for innovation, greater inclusion and growth across the industry. 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."Operated through its UK branch, the service is fully integrated with Standard Chartered's existing platforms and familiar FX interfaces. Clients can settle with their preferred custodian, including Standard Chartered's own digital custody solutions, while benefiting from the assurance of an FCA-registered, regulated global bank with a strong balance sheet and institutional-grade risk controls, the firm said."We are applying our global expertise, infrastructure and risk management frameworks that our clients trust to the digital assets space," Global Head of Trading and XVA - Markets Tony Hall added. "With growing interest in regulated digital assets solutions, we are well-positioned to meet client needs while capturing the opportunities in this space."Operating within Standard Chartered's regulated framework, the service aims to lower barriers for institutional clients entering crypto and expands the bank's digital asset suite, which also includes custody and tokenization.Standard Chartered's crypto expansionStandard Chartered has reportedly been planning to launch a spot bitcoin and ether trading desk since at least June 2024 under its FX unit. "We have been working closely with our regulators to support demand from our institutional clients to trade bitcoin and ether, in line with our strategy to support clients across the wider digital asset ecosystem, from access and custody to tokenization and interoperability," the bank said at the time.Standard Chartered is one of several large banks expanding its involvement in the cryptocurrency market as institutional adoption of the sector increases. The bank holds stakes in two digital asset firms, Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, which provide services ranging from crypto custody to over-the-counter trading. In 2023, Standard Chartered also launched a blockchain unit called Libeara to assist institutions with the tokenization of real-world assets.In April, Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster said the financial services firm is also "hopeful and likely to be able" to launch support for spot crypto trading within the next 12 months. In June, JPMorgan Chase, the world's largest bank, announced plans to pilot a stablecoin-like blockchain-based token called JPMD, which will launch on the Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2 network Base.Earlier this month, Standard Chartered Global Head of Digital Assets Research Geoffrey Kendrick predicted bitcoin to hit $135,000 by the end of Q3 and reaffirmed a $200,000 projection by year-end, citing growing ETF inflows, increased corporate treasury buying, and policy tailwinds. Bitcoin is currently trading for $116,894, according to The Block's BTC price page. However, Kendrick said he is less optimistic about new all-time highs for altcoin leaders ETH and SOL this year.Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.