Standard Chartered Prepares to Launch Prime Brokerage Services for Digital Assets

The British banking giant Standard Chartered, which manages assets worth over $849 billion, plans to expand its influence in the digital assets sector by launching a specialized prime brokerage platform for institutional clients. This initiative, implemented through the venture arm SC Ventures, will allow institutions to receive comprehensive services, including trading, custody (storage), financing, and securities lending in cryptocurrency.

As stated in reports, the bank aims to provide a regulated and secure alternative for institutional investors who are increasingly interested in crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Standard Chartered is already a pioneer among global systemically important banks (G-SIB), offering spot trading of BTC and ETH for institutions, and this move is a logical continuation of their strategy. The platform will help avoid the stringent requirements of Basel III, which impose a 1250% risk weight on crypto assets, making traditional banking ownership of them less attractive.

Experts note that this indicates the growing integration of traditional finance (TradFi) with the crypto industry.

"Global banks are actively entering crypto, and Standard Chartered is leading this process," comments an analyst from X.

The bank already has partnerships with Zodia Custody and Markets, as well as Project37C, which strengthens its positions in tokenization and digital transactions.

This news comes amid a general boom in institutional interest in crypto in 2026, with strengthened regulatory frameworks in Europe and Asia. For Ukrainian investors,this could open new opportunities for access to global crypto services through reliable banks, considering local regulatory challenges in UA. Standard Chartered is also expanding cooperation with Coinbase for the development of trading and prime services, which could accelerate implementation.

Analysts predict that the launch will intensify competition among banking players in crypto, contributing to greater market liquidity and stability. Stay tuned for updates, as launch details are expected soon.