In a landmark move for traditional finance, Standard Chartered Bank's UK branch has officially launched Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading services for its institutional clients today, July 15, 2025. This initiative, reported by Reuters, underscores the bank's proactive approach to meeting the escalating institutional demand for digital assets and signals a significant shift in the global financial landscape.
Standard Chartered UK's new service allows institutional clients, including corporations, investors, and asset managers, to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum through a familiar foreign exchange (FX) interface, aiming to streamline their access to digital asset markets. The bank also announced plans to further expand its offerings by introducing non-deliverable forward trading, reflecting a comprehensive strategy to cater to the evolving needs of its institutional clientele.
This development is particularly noteworthy as it positions Standard Chartered as the first global systemically important bank (G-SIB) to offer direct spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum. This move is a powerful testament to the increasing integration of digital currencies into mainstream banking, effectively bridging conventional financial systems with the burgeoning crypto economy.
Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research, highlighted the bank’s strong conviction in the future of Bitcoin. Kendrick has a notably bullish outlook, predicting that Bitcoin's price could reach $200,000 by the end of Q4. The industry's reaction to this launch has been largely optimistic, emphasizing its strategic importance for the broader adoption of digital assets within institutional frameworks.
"Our new services enable institutional clients—including corporations, investors, and asset managers—to trade digital assets through a familiar FX interface," stated Geoff Kendrick, underscoring the bank's commitment to providing accessible and regulated pathways for digital asset exposure.
July 2025, Cryptoniteuae