Standard Chartered to expand institutional crypto and RWA custody to Singapore
Reported by CoinDesk · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
Standard Chartered plans to expand its institutional digital-asset custody services to Singapore, offering custody for selected cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets, subject to regulatory approval. The service targets institutional and accredited-investor corporate clients and will operate within the bank’s financing and securities-services business. The bank has not specified which assets will be supported or the service’s launch timeline.
Why it matters
The move extends Standard Chartered’s digital-asset custody footprint in key global financial centers, including the UAE, Luxembourg, and Hong Kong, signaling growing institutional demand for regulated custody infrastructure in Asia’s wealth and digital-asset hub. The source highlights the importance of secure, regulated custody as foundational to the digital asset ecosystem but does not provide further details on market or policy impacts.
Key context
Standard Chartered has been developing its digital asset custody business through Zodia Custody, a joint venture with Northern Trust it agreed to fully acquire in May 2026. The bank began offering institutional spot bitcoin and ether trading through its Dubai branch in September 2026. Singapore’s role as an emerging center for wealth management and digital assets provides context for the expansion.
Key numbers and entities
Standard Chartered, Zodia Custody, Northern Trust, Ole Matthiessen (Standard Chartered’s global head of transaction services and digital assets), Patrick Lee (Standard Chartered Singapore CEO), cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets. No specific asset names, dates, or financial figures are provided.
What remains unclear
The specific cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized products to be supported remain unspecified, as does the timing of the service launch. Details on regulatory approvals, pricing, or the exact capabilities within the custody service are not addressed in the provided text.