Standard Chartered Becomes First Global Bank to Launch Spot Bitcoin & Ether Trading

• Standard Chartered launches BTC and ETH spot trading, targeting rising institutional demand.
• FX platform integration offers seamless crypto access for corporate and investment clients.
• The move signals legacy banking’s shift as digital assets become core to financial strategies.

Standard Chartered has introduced spot trading for bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH), targeting institutional clients through its operations in the United Kingdom. This offering makes it the first globally systemic legacy bank to provide regulated, deliverable spot trading for these digital assets. The bank’s trading platform operates during Asia and European hours, with a potential expansion to 24/5 access under client demand review. This service integrates with existing foreign exchange (FX) platforms, enabling clients to trade cryptocurrency using familiar trading systems. 

The bank’s digital assets unit confirmed clients can settle crypto trades through custodians of their choice, including in-house custody options. Spot trading for BTC and ETH represents the foundation of the bank’s crypto trading services, with plans to offer additional products in stages.

These services may soon include non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) for BTC and ETH, providing institutions with tools to manage crypto risk exposure. Standard Chartered has gradually expanded its digital asset presence through investments in custody and trading infrastructure in recent years. The rollout comes as bitcoin prices reach historic highs and institutions show increased interest in accessing regulated digital asset markets.

Bridging Traditional Banking and Institutional Crypto Access

Standard Chartered’s new service reflects a larger trend of financial institutions aligning traditional banking tools with digital asset capabilities. By offering regulated crypto trading, the bank enables clients to access digital assets while remaining within compliance and risk frameworks. According to CEO Bill Winters, client demand is accelerating, and regulated access to crypto is now essential for institutional capital strategies. This move helps reduce barriers for large institutions seeking secure and regulated exposure to Bitcoin and Ether without relying on crypto-native platforms. The initiative is positioned as part of a broader strategy to integrate digital asset capabilities across trading, custody, and investment operations.

Standard Chartered has supported its crypto strategy through investments in firms such as Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, both of which focus on institutions. The bank also backs Libeara, a platform that enables the tokenization of assets, further broadening its digital financial services ecosystem. These partnerships provide foundational infrastructure that complements the new spot trading services and aligns with evolving client requirements. By integrating crypto trading into existing FX platforms, the bank ensures that clients can access new markets without needing to learn entirely new systems. This approach reflects the growing convergence between traditional financial systems and the decentralized technologies that are shaping digital asset markets.

Institutional Adoption Accelerates as Crypto Matures

Standard Chartered’s entry into spot crypto trading marks a pivotal shift in how banks are responding to developments in the digital asset market. Bitcoin has recently hit record price levels, and institutional investors are actively seeking regulated, bank-grade avenues to gain market exposure. The launch coincides with rising momentum for bitcoin ETFs and growing clarity around global regulatory frameworks for stablecoins and tokenized assets. Standard Chartered’s move signals a turning point where traditional financial players are not just observing crypto markets—they are entering them directly. This represents an acknowledgment that digital assets are now a mainstream asset class requiring institutional-grade tools and governance structures.

As market infrastructure matures, traditional banks are starting to offer services previously reserved for specialized crypto-native firms and exchanges. Standard Chartered’s entry into crypto spot markets reflects a broader industry recognition that digital assets must be incorporated into core services. By establishing secure, compliant, and scalable trading solutions, the bank is helping reshape how institutions access and manage digital investments. The rise of tokenized financial instruments and programmable money is pushing banks to integrate blockchain capabilities into their service models. It is the first such step towards establishing a precedent for other global financial institutions to enter the regulated space of digital assets.

A Strategic Revolution of the Banking Sector

The product offered by Standard Chartered is not a standalone product, but rather part of its long-term plan to help institutions integrate digital assets. The bank is also looking to provide a full range of crypto-related services, including spot, derivatives, custody, and asset tokenization, in the near future. With the tightening of regulations and more complex demands from institutions, banks will be expected to ensure safe access to digital markets. 

Related: Standard Chartered Predicts BTC to Hit $200K by End of 2025 

The trend represents how financial institutions are restructuring their platforms by embracing ways to support both fiat and digital financial ecosystems. The lines between conventional finance and crypto are becoming increasingly blurred, creating a new hybrid of how financial services will be delivered in the future.