Standard Chartered has launched spot trading for bitcoin and ether through its UK branch, targeting institutional clients.

The service was announced on July 15, 2025.

The bank says it’s the first major global bank to offer regulated access to spot trading for these digital currencies.

Clients, including corporations and asset managers, can trade crypto using standard foreign exchange interfaces.

Standard Chartered also plans to introduce non-deliverable forwards trading soon.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ A cautious seven-year journey from blockchain experimentation to crypto trading

Standard Chartered’s entry into bitcoin and ether trading represents the culmination of a long-term strategy that began years before cryptocurrencies reached mainstream attention.

The bank first demonstrated its blockchain interest in 2016 when it partnered with Ripple to execute a cross-border payment that typically takes two days in under 10 seconds 1.

This early experimentation continued with trade finance blockchain initiatives, including partnerships with DBS Bank and Singapore’s Infocomm Development Authority to develop security enhancements through distributed ledger technology 1.

By building expertise gradually and engaging with regulators, Standard Chartered positioned itself to eventually offer institutional crypto trading services while managing associated risks.

The bank’s strategic investments in specialized firms like Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets further demonstrate its methodical approach to entering the digital asset space 2.

This timeline illustrates how major financial institutions typically require years of preparation and regulatory navigation before launching services in emerging financial sectors.

2️⃣ Shifting regulatory landscape enables traditional bank participation in crypto

Standard Chartered’s launch comes amid a significant evolution in how regulators view bank involvement with digital assets.

Recent Standard Chartered developments