FalconX and Standard Chartered Join Forces to Empower Institutional Crypto Investors

In a significant move bridging traditional finance and the burgeoning digital asset space, US-based digital asset broker FalconX has announced a strategic partnership with global banking giant Standard Chartered. This collaboration aims to provide institutional investors with enhanced banking services, leveraging Standard Chartered’s established infrastructure.

FalconX, which reports executing over $1.5 trillion in trades and serving more than 600 institutional clients, including asset managers, hedge funds, token issuers, and payment platforms, cited increasing demand for secure digital asset services as the driving force behind this initiative.

The partnership will see FalconX integrate Standard Chartered’s robust traditional finance framework with its existing crypto offerings. This integration will enable large-scale investors to access a wider array of currency pairs for their investments. Furthermore, clients will benefit from Standard Chartered’s expertise in facilitating reliable international settlements using digital assets.

Matt Long, General Manager for APAC and the Middle East at FalconX, emphasized the significance of the collaboration, stating, “We support trading and financing for some of the world’s largest institutions in digital asset markets, and this relationship strengthens our ability to deliver robust banking and FX solutions to clients who rely on us to operate in crypto markets.”

Standard Chartered’s foray into the digital asset sector is not new. The bank has been actively exploring opportunities, including a previous collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore in November 2022 to pilot digital token applications in financial trading. Additionally, in September 2024, the London-headquartered institution launched a crypto custody service in the UAE, specifically designed to guide institutional investors with conventional financial expertise.

Luke Boland, a senior official at Standard Chartered, affirmed the bank’s commitment to the evolving digital asset ecosystem. “As institutional demand for digital assets continues to grow, we’re proud to provide the banking infrastructure that enables firms like FalconX to deliver world-class trading and financing solutions to institutional clients,” Boland commented.

This partnership between FalconX and Standard Chartered comes on the heels of a significant regulatory development in the US. Earlier this month, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted permission to US banks to offer a range of crypto services, including custody and management. The OCC also clarified that customers of US national banks and federal savings associations can now access crypto custody services from their banks and receive assistance with buying and selling digital assets.

This collaboration underscores the increasing convergence of traditional finance and the cryptocurrency market, signaling a maturing landscape for institutional involvement in digital assets.