Standard Chartered plans to launch crypto prime brokerage under its VC unit

Standard Chartered, the leading British multinational bank, is considering launching a crypto prime brokerage that would sit under the bank’s venture capital unit, SC Ventures, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people with knowledge of the plan.

Talks about the proposed service are still preliminary, and plans have yet to be finalized, the people said.

The lender has pursued a broad digital asset strategy through SC Ventures, including investments in platforms such as Zodia Custody, a digital asset custodian for institutional investors originally launched in partnership with Northern Trust.

SC Ventures serves as the bank’s innovation arm, driving its digital asset strategy and bridging traditional finance with the crypto ecosystem.

Last month, Standard Chartered and Coinbase announced an expanded partnership to develop comprehensive crypto prime services for institutional clients, including trading, custody, staking, and lending. The joint effort will enhance the regulated digital asset infrastructure, meeting increasing demands for scalable and compliant crypto solutions in institutional markets.