Standard Chartered To Launch Crypto Prime Brokerage Through VC Unit – Report

Standard Chartered’s Crypto Prime Brokerage: A 2026 Blueprint for Bank‑Led Digital Asset Innovation Standard Chartered’s Crypto Prime Brokerage: A 2026 Blueprint for Bank‑Led Digital Asset Innovation In early 2026, Bloomberg reported that Standard Chartered is poised to launch a crypto prime brokerage through its venture arm, SC Ventures. The move is more than a product announcement; it signals a new regulatory architecture, an integrated custody–tokenisation stack, and a strategic positioning that could reshape how global banks monetize digital assets in 2026 and beyond. Executive Summary Regulatory Leverage: By channeling crypto exposure through SC Ventures, Standard Chartered can apply the Basel III “permissioned” risk charge of 400 % instead of the punitive 1,250 % that applies to permissionless assets. End‑to‑End Ecosystem: Project 37C will deliver custody, tokenisation and market access, creating a seamless pipeline from asset issuance to prime brokerage execution. Strategic Partnerships: Alliances with OKX, Coinbase and DCS Card Center provide liquidity, staking, lending and stable‑coin payment channels that strengthen the launch case. Market Positioning: The VC‑unit model offers lower capital cost, faster go‑to‑market and a sandbox for experimentation—advantages over competitors such as HSBC, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley. Key Uncertainties: No definitive launch date, fee structure or liquidity source details have been disclosed; regulatory shifts could alter the risk‑charge differential. For institutional investors, fintech executives and compliance officers, understanding this architecture is critical to assessing competitive dynamics, capital allocation strategies and potential partnership opportunities in 2026’s crypto landscape. Regulatory Innovation as a Strategic Lever The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision released an updated risk‑charge framework in early 2026 that distinguishes between “permissioned” and “permissionless” digital assets. Under the