London-based global banking group Standard Chartered has pioneered a groundbreaking service for its corporate clients, introducing spot Bitcoin 
$67,048 and Ethereum 
$1,941 trading as the first global bank to do so. Initially offered through its UK branches, this new service is accessible during Asian and European trading hours. There is a potential consideration for extending to a 24/5 operational model based on demand. Transactions are integrated into familiar FX interfaces while asset custody is managed internally or according to client preference. Standard Chartered aims to position itself at the core of the growing corporate demand for digital currencies.
Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum Service for Institutional Clients
Introduced as a service targeting major financial institutions, Standard Chartered’s Bitcoin and Ethereum trading positions the bank as the first systemically important global entity to offer spot cryptocurrency transactions. According to Rene Michau, the service is limited to asset managers and multinational corporations, with retail investors not yet included in the offering.
Initially, this initiative will focus exclusively on Bitcoin and Ethereum, with plans to expand to include derivative instruments such as non-deliverable forward contracts in the future. This approach is intended to enable portfolios to increase cryptocurrency investments within a structured risk management framework.
Michau highlights the increased demand for spot cryptocurrencies on the corporate side, emphasizing the shift of liquidity to over-the-counter channels. By offering access not yet provided by its competitors, the bank seeks to secure an early advantage in the market.
Seamless Integration with Existing Infrastructure
Standard Chartered has integrated spot trades into its existing FX platforms, eliminating the need for customers to learn a new interface. This reduces integration costs while maintaining market depth in high-frequency trading flows. Whether executed through external safekeeping services like Zodia Custody or within the bank’s vaults, client reconciliation processes remain unchanged.
In the event of high demand, the bank may offer 24/5 access, enabling corporate investors across different time zones to quickly access liquidity. Looking ahead, the bank’s crypto custody arm, Libeara, plans to incorporate tokenization services into the system, aiming to merge custody, transaction, and securitization processes within a single ecosystem.
