Standard Chartered Launches Bitcoin and Ether Spot Trading for Institutional Clients

Standard Chartered (StanChart) has officially launched spot trading services for bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) through its UK branch, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer regulated, scalable access to crypto spot markets for institutional investors.

StanChart Offers Regulated Bitcoin and Ether Spot Trading

In a statement released on Tuesday, Standard Chartered confirmed that institutional clients—including corporates, asset managers, and investors—can now trade bitcoin and ether through its established foreign exchange (FX) interfaces.

The bank emphasised that this new service is designed to meet growing institutional demand for secure and regulated digital asset trading solutions. “As client demand accelerates further, we want to offer clients a route to transact, trade, and manage digital asset risk safely and efficiently within regulatory requirements,” said Chief Executive Bill Winters.

First Systemically Important Bank to Provide Crypto Spot Trading

Standard Chartered noted it is the first global systemically important bank (G-SIB) to introduce deliverable spot trading in bitcoin and ether. This move positions StanChart ahead of many traditional financial institutions still cautious about direct cryptocurrency exposure.

The bank’s crypto trading services aim to provide:

• Secure and Regulated Access: Ensuring all trading occurs within regulatory frameworks.
• Scalable Trading Platforms: Using familiar FX interfaces for ease of integration.
• Future Non-Deliverable Forwards (NDFs): StanChart also plans to offer non-deliverable forwards trading in crypto, allowing clients to manage digital asset risk without holding the underlying tokens.

Meeting Rising Institutional Crypto Demand

As global interest in crypto assets continues to rise, more institutional investors are seeking compliant ways to access bitcoin and ether markets. Standard Chartered’s move reflects broader trends in the financial services sector, where regulated banks are beginning to incorporate digital asset trading into their product offerings.

The bank’s initiative complements its broader strategy in digital assets and blockchain technology, including prior investments and partnerships in crypto custody and tokenisation platforms.