Standard Chartered has significantly expanded its institutional cryptocurrency services through strategic partnerships with digital asset platforms FalconX and OKX. The banking giant announced a multi-phase collaboration with FalconX to enhance cross-border settlement infrastructure while separately piloting crypto collateralization solutions with OKX in Dubai.
The FalconX partnership will initially focus on providing comprehensive banking services, including access to 57 currency pairs and real-time settlement capabilities. Standard Chartered’s global head of financing services noted this addresses critical infrastructure gaps preventing traditional finance firms from entering digital markets.
Get breakout alerts
Install Coin Push to get profitable crypto trading notifications.
Standard Chartered’s Crypto Infrastructure Push
As one of the first global banks to establish a dedicated digital assets division, Standard Chartered is deploying its balance sheet and regulatory expertise to bridge traditional finance with crypto markets. The bank processed $128B in institutional crypto transactions in 2024 through its SC Ventures subsidiary.
The OKX collaboration involves a Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority-approved pilot allowing institutional clients to use Bitcoin and tokenized money market funds as loan collateral. This builds on the bank’s earlier work with Zodia Custody, its institutional-grade digital asset storage solution.
FalconX Institutional Prime Brokerage
FalconX will leverage Standard Chartered’s network to offer 24/7 FX conversion services between fiat and digital assets. The prime broker currently services over 1,300 institutional clients including hedge funds and family offices, with Q1 2025 trading volume exceeding $42B.
“This partnership fundamentally changes how institutions interact with digital markets,” said FalconX APAC CEO Raghav Aiyar. The integration reduces settlement times from T+2 to near-instant execution while maintaining SWIFT-grade compliance standards.
OKX Collateral Innovation
Standard Chartered and OKX’s collateralization pilot enables institutions to borrow fiat against crypto holdings without liquidating positions. Early participants include hedge funds using tokenized Treasury bills as collateral for margin trading strategies.
The program utilizes smart contracts to automatically adjust collateral ratios based on real-time market data. OKX Chief Innovation Officer Jason Lau confirmed plans to expand supported assets to include Ethereum and Solana-based securities by Q3 2025.
Install Coin Push mobile app to get profitable crypto alerts. Coin Push sends timely notifications – so you don’t miss any major market movements.
Market Impact: These developments signal accelerating institutional adoption, with crypto prime brokerage revenue projected to reach $12B annually by 2026 according to a recent Cointelegraph Research report. Banking partnerships are resolving key pain points around liquidity management and regulatory compliance that previously constrained large-scale capital deployment.
