Standard Chartered becomes the first global bank to offer spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum through its UK branch, targeting institutional clients.
Launch of Spot Trading
According to a Reuters report, Standard Chartered is launching spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum for institutional clients, including corporates, asset managers, and professional investors. The initiative allows clients to trade assets through familiar FX trading interfaces. Support for non-deliverable forwards is set to be introduced in the future.
Market Reaction to the Initiative
CEO Bill Winters emphasized that the service launch is aimed at meeting growing demand for secure and efficient access to digital asset trading. "As client demand accelerates further, we want to offer clients a route to transact, trade, and manage digital asset risk safely and efficiently within regulatory requirements," he noted.
Trends in Institutional Investment in Cryptocurrency
Standard Chartered is one of the first banks to provide regulated, real-time crypto trading. Meanwhile, active investments in Bitcoin and Ethereum by traditional financial institutions showcase the increasing interest in cryptocurrencies as long-term investment assets.
The launch of spot trading by Standard Chartered illustrates that Bitcoin and Ethereum are becoming integral parts of the institutional financial infrastructure, offering opportunities not only for storage but also for actual trading and asset management.
