Standard Chartered Launches Institutional Spot Trading for Cryptoassets

Standard Chartered has become the first globally systemically important bank to introduce a fully integrated spot trading service for cryptoassets, aimed at institutional clients. The UK-based financial giant announced that this new service allows clients to trade Bitcoin (XBT/USD) and Ethereum (XET/USD) directly through its UK branch.

The initiative is designed for corporates, institutional investors, and asset managers, allowing them to engage in spot trading using Standard Chartered’s existing trading platforms, including foreign exchange (FX) interfaces. Clients can choose their preferred custodian for settlement, including the bank’s own FCA-registered digital assets custody platform.

According to Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, digital assets are becoming a central part of the evolving financial ecosystem. “They are key to unlocking innovation, driving inclusion, and supporting industry growth,” Winters stated. “As client demand grows, we aim to provide a safe, regulated environment for trading and managing digital assets.”

The bank also revealed that non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) for digital assets will be added soon, expanding the service further.

This move aligns with Standard Chartered’s broader strategy in the digital asset space. The bank already operates Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, which provide institutional-grade crypto custody and trading services. It also engages in digital asset tokenization through its platform, Libeara.

Tony Hall, the bank’s Global Head of Trading and XVA, emphasized that Standard Chartered is leveraging its robust infrastructure, global market expertise, and trusted risk frameworks to offer clients a regulated path into digital asset trading. “There’s a clear appetite for compliant digital asset solutions,” said Hall, “and we’re well-positioned to meet that demand.”

By offering crypto spot trading within a regulated banking environment, the bank aims to address major concerns institutions face, such as regulatory ambiguity and fragmented infrastructure in the crypto markets.