Standard Chartered has announced plans to introduce institutional digital asset custody services in Singapore, targeting institutional and accredited investor corporate clients. The proposed offering will cover selected cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, and will operate alongside the bank’s existing Financing & Securities Services business, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.
According to the bank, the Singapore unit will provide safekeeping services alongside conventional securities services, allowing clients to manage traditional and tokenized assets through one banking infrastructure. The planned service is intended to support different stages of an asset’s lifecycle, including custody and servicing after tokenization. However, Standard Chartered has not confirmed a launch date and has not disclosed which specific digital assets will be supported.
Patrick Lee, CEO of Singapore and CEO of ASEAN & South Asia at Standard Chartered, said Singapore is “an important centre for financial innovation, with a strong institutional ecosystem and growing demand for trusted digital asset solutions.” He added that reliable infrastructure would be necessary to handle the movement, safekeeping and servicing of tokenized assets as institutional activity develops.
The Singapore proposal adds to Standard Chartered’s existing digital asset custody footprint in the UAE, Luxembourg and Hong Kong. It also follows the bank’s efforts to integrate specialist custody operations into its banking structure. In May 2026, Standard Chartered confirmed that its non-binding offer to acquire Zodia Custody’s regulated custody business had been accepted, with plans to integrate Zodia’s activities into its Financing & Securities Services division and establish Zodia Solutions as a separate platform under SC Ventures. Zodia Custody, originally established by Standard Chartered and Northern Trust in 2020, already has regulatory permissions in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Australia and the UK, and secured a Luxembourg payment institution license in June 2026.
The planned service will be directed only at institutions and accredited corporate investors, with no retail offering mentioned in the announcement.
