Standard Chartered Expands Crypto Prime Brokerage for Institutional Clients

Standard Chartered is doubling down on crypto services for hedge funds and asset managers through a new prime brokerage offering. The MOVE builds on its existing infrastructure, including Zodia Custody for secure storage and Zodia Markets for institutional trading. Six months after becoming the first globally systemic bank to offer spot crypto trading, the lender is now positioning itself as a full-service gateway for institutional crypto access.

The bank's SC Ventures arm appears to be strategically insulating the parent company from Basel III capital requirements. By housing Project37C—a forthcoming platform for crypto financing, tokenization, and market access—within this division, Standard Chartered sidesteps the punishing 1,250% risk weight applied to direct crypto holdings under current banking rules. This structural maneuver echoes similar plays by U.S. giants like JPMorgan, who are advancing crypto offerings despite regulatory uncertainty.

Global regulators remain divided on bank-held crypto assets, with debates ongoing since at least October 2022. Yet institutional demand continues driving major banks deeper into digital assets—whether through custody solutions, trading desks, or now, prime brokerage services.