#StandardChartered
16 articles tagged #StandardChartered — curated RWA tokenization coverage.
Standard Chartered and HSBC complete first tokenised deposit transaction, Citi launches near-real-time custody solutions
Standard Chartered and HSBC have successfully completed the first live cross-border transaction using tokenised deposits via Swift’s blockchain-based ledger. This milestone test demonstrated interoperability between two distinct bank-issued tokenised deposit infrastructures, utilizing Swift’s ledger to match and net obligations before final settlement. By reconciling obligations from different banks through a shared infrastructure layer, the test proves that existing banking systems can support tokenized assets without requiring entirely new settlement rails. Simultaneously, Citi launched Custody+, a suite of digital tools designed to provide institutional clients with near-real-time access to custody data and asset servicing workflows. These developments represent a significant step in integrating blockchain-based tokenization into traditional institutional banking frameworks. While the Swift test focused on cross-border deposit interoperability, Citi’s initiative enhances the operational efficiency of managing global portfolios. Together, these advancements highlight the growing institutional focus on leveraging distributed ledger technology to modernize legacy financial infrastructure.
Standard Chartered Taps HKDAP for Tokenized Fund Settlements
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (SCBHK) has become the first authorized distributor of HKDAP, a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Anchorpoint Financial Limited. Anchorpoint, a joint venture between SCBHK, HKT, and Animoca Brands, received its stablecoin issuer license from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority in April 2026 under the Stablecoins Ordinance. This development marks a significant step in integrating regulated stablecoins into institutional financial workflows within the region. SCBHK plans a phased rollout focusing on tokenized money market fund subscriptions, treasury settlement, and cross-border payments. By leveraging HKDAP for 24/7 on-chain settlement, the bank aims to enhance liquidity management and operational efficiency for institutional clients. Tokenized money market fund activities are scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026, involving both local and international asset managers. This initiative highlights the growing institutional adoption of programmable, regulated stablecoins to modernize traditional financial infrastructure and cross-border transaction processes.
HSBC, Standard Chartered make first live tokenized deposit tranfer via Swift blockchain
HSBC and Standard Chartered have successfully executed the first live tokenized deposit transfer utilizing Swift’s blockchain-based ledger infrastructure. This milestone addresses the critical industry challenge of interoperability, as most existing tokenized deposits are restricted to single-bank silos. By leveraging Swift’s DLT-based solution, the banks enabled a cross-border payment that demonstrates the potential for 24/7 settlement across different financial institutions. This development follows Swift’s July announcement regarding its minimum viable product, which currently involves 17 global banks across six continents. The rapid transition from the pilot phase to a live transaction highlights an accelerating trend in institutional adoption of DLT for traditional banking services. The participation of these banks in initiatives like the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s EnsembleX likely provided the technical foundation for this successful integration. This event marks a significant step toward unifying fragmented tokenized deposit ecosystems into a cohesive global network.
Standard Chartered’s Anchorpoint launches beta version of HKDAP stablecoin
Standard Chartered’s subsidiary Anchorpoint has launched the beta phase of its HKDAP stablecoin, marking the first issuance of a regulated stablecoin in Hong Kong. This initiative follows the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) granting initial stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint and HSBC in April. The project utilizes a B2B2C distribution model, partnering with licensed digital asset exchanges HashKey and OSL to facilitate institutional access. Currently, the beta is restricted to corporate users and professional investors, with potential retail expansion planned by the end of the year. The HKMA imposes strict compliance requirements, mandating the identification of all stablecoin holders to mitigate risks. To support future retail distribution, Anchorpoint is collaborating with joint venture partners Animoca Brands and Hong Kong Telecom, leveraging tools like the Moca Network for digital identity verification. The HKDAP stablecoin is specifically designed to support cross-border payments and the settlement of tokenized securities, signaling a significant step in Hong Kong's regulated digital asset infrastructure.
StanChart tokenized deposits reach $11 bn/month. Handles 20% of USDC on/off ramp
Standard Chartered has achieved a monthly run rate of approximately $11 billion in tokenized deposit volumes, driven largely by cross-border settlements using the e-CNY on the mBridge platform. CEO Bill Winters highlighted this milestone during the bank's Q2 earnings call, emphasizing the institution's commitment to integrating blockchain as core financial infrastructure. Beyond deposits, the bank is actively expanding its digital asset footprint through subsidiaries like Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets. Its subsidiary, Anchorpoint Financial, has also secured a license to issue a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin in collaboration with partners like HKT and Animoca Brands. This development underscores the growing institutional adoption of tokenized deposits for efficient cross-border liquidity and settlement. By positioning blockchain as a foundational layer for client transactions, Standard Chartered is bridging traditional banking services with emerging digital asset ecosystems. These efforts represent a significant shift in how global systemically important banks manage multicurrency settlements and digital asset services.
Standard Chartered Sees Chainlink Reaching $200 by 2030 on Tokenized-Asset Growth
Standard Chartered has identified Chainlink as a primary beneficiary of the burgeoning real-world asset (RWA) tokenization sector. The global investment bank projects that the market for tokenized assets will reach a valuation of $4 trillion as traditional financial instruments like stocks and bonds migrate to blockchain networks. Chainlink's infrastructure is positioned as a critical bridge, facilitating the necessary connectivity between disparate blockchains and external financial data systems. By enabling secure data transmission and interoperability, the protocol is expected to capture significant value as institutional adoption of tokenized assets accelerates. This analysis underscores the growing institutional recognition of decentralized oracle networks as essential components of the future financial architecture. The bank's long-term price target for Chainlink is directly tied to this anticipated expansion of the tokenized asset ecosystem. Consequently, the report highlights how infrastructure providers are becoming as vital to the RWA market as the assets themselves.
SCB debuts Citi's 24/7 USD Clearing and Citi Token Services solution
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) has officially integrated Citi’s 24/7 USD Clearing and Citi Token Services to enhance its cross-border payment capabilities. This collaboration allows SCB to leverage Citi’s institutional-grade blockchain-based solution, enabling near-instantaneous settlement of USD transactions around the clock. By utilizing Citi Token Services, SCB can facilitate programmable financial services and automated liquidity management, moving away from traditional batch-processing limitations. This integration marks a significant milestone for the RWA market as it demonstrates how major global banks are adopting tokenized deposits to improve operational efficiency and capital velocity. The move underscores a broader industry shift toward interoperable blockchain infrastructure for institutional treasury management. As traditional banking giants adopt these tokenized solutions, the friction associated with legacy correspondent banking networks is substantially reduced. This development signals increased institutional confidence in private, permissioned ledgers for high-value settlement processes.
ESMA Adds 37 MiCA-Licensed Crypto Firms After Deadline
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has expanded its official crypto-asset service provider register to 280 firms following the conclusion of the MiCA transitional period. This update adds 37 newly licensed entities, including major financial institutions like Standard Chartered, FalconX, and Sygnum Europe. The inclusion of CACEIS, the asset-servicing arm of Crédit Agricole, into the electronic money token register highlights the growing integration of traditional banking with digital asset infrastructure. While service provider licensing is accelerating across jurisdictions like Cyprus, France, and Italy, the register currently shows zero approved issuers for asset-referenced tokens. This disparity indicates that while institutional market access is maturing, the regulatory path for token issuers remains more complex and slower. By centralizing these approvals, ESMA is transitioning from a rulemaking body to a direct supervisor of the European digital asset market. This shift provides institutional investors with a standardized framework for counterparty due diligence and risk management. Ultimately, the register serves as a critical filter that legitimizes the RWA and crypto ecosystem within the European Union.
BlackRock BUIDL Fund Now Accepted as OKX Trading Collateral
OKX has integrated BlackRock's BUIDL tokenized U.S. Treasury fund into its collateral framework, enabling institutional and VIP clients to utilize the yield-bearing asset as trading margin. This development allows eligible users to post BUIDL as collateral while it remains under the custody of Standard Chartered, marking the first off-exchange tokenized collateral framework backed by a globally systemically important bank. Within the OKX margin system, BUIDL is treated as fungible with USD and USDC, ensuring that clients maintain ownership and continue to accrue yield while actively trading. This initiative, currently live for clients of OKX Middle East, represents a significant evolution in the utility of tokenized real-world assets. By moving beyond passive holding, the integration demonstrates how tokenized products can function as active market infrastructure within live trading environments. The collaboration builds upon an existing collateral mirroring program between OKX and Standard Chartered, signaling a broader industry shift toward deeper institutional adoption of RWA-backed financial instruments. Future expansion of this framework is planned based on regional demand and jurisdictional requirements.
ESMA Adds 37 Crypto Firms to MiCA Register After Transition Ends
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has updated its MiCA register by adding 37 licensed crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) following the conclusion of the transitional period. This update brings the total number of registered entities to 280, signaling a transition from rulemaking to active market supervision across the European Union. Notable additions include Standard Chartered, FalconX, Sygnum Europe, and CACEIS, reflecting increased institutional participation in the regulated digital asset space. Standard Chartered’s dual acquisition of MiCA and Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licenses highlights the strategic importance of combining digital asset services with traditional payment infrastructure. While CASP licensing is accelerating, the register for asset-referenced tokens remains empty, indicating a more cautious approach toward token issuance under the new framework. This shift creates a competitive filter where registered firms gain significant market access advantages over unlicensed competitors. Ultimately, the MiCA register is evolving into a critical tool for institutional due diligence, procurement, and risk management within the European financial ecosystem.
Here’s what happened in crypto today
Securitize has officially debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SECZ following a merger with a Cantor Fitzgerald-backed SPAC. The company, which counts BlackRock and Morgan Stanley as backers, simultaneously launched tokenized versions of its shares on the Avalanche and Solana blockchains. This milestone represents the first instance of a newly public company offering tokenized equity to eligible US investors. Simultaneously, Standard Chartered has partnered with Circle to enable institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC directly through the bank's platform. As the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer this service, Standard Chartered is integrating stablecoin access into traditional risk and compliance frameworks. These developments signal a significant maturation of the RWA market, as institutional-grade infrastructure increasingly bridges the gap between legacy financial systems and blockchain-based assets. By embedding these capabilities, both Securitize and Standard Chartered are addressing the industry's demand for deeper liquidity, extended trading hours, and seamless onchain settlement.
Standard Chartered secures MiCA and EMI license
Standard Chartered has secured authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI). This dual regulatory approval represents a pivotal advancement for the bank's Financing & Securities Services division as it expands its digital asset custody capabilities across Europe. By obtaining these licenses, the institution aligns itself with the EU's comprehensive framework for crypto-asset service providers, ensuring legal compliance for its digital asset operations. This development is significant for the RWA market because it provides a regulated institutional bridge for tokenized assets and digital securities within the European Economic Area. As major global banks integrate MiCA-compliant infrastructure, the barrier to entry for institutional participation in tokenized financial instruments is substantially lowered. The move signals a broader trend of traditional financial giants formalizing their digital asset strategies to support the growing demand for regulated custody solutions. Ultimately, this regulatory milestone enhances the credibility and operational security of the European digital asset ecosystem, facilitating the future growth of institutional-grade RWA tokenization.
Aave positioned to capture tokenized asset growth in DeFi: Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered research suggests that the integration of tokenized real-world assets into decentralized finance will significantly boost deposits for the Aave lending protocol. Geoff Kendrick, the bank's global head of digital assets research, notes that Aave is well-positioned to regain its status as a dominant onchain lending platform despite recent challenges. The protocol previously faced setbacks, including a broader decline in digital asset prices and a $292 million cybertheft incident involving KelpDAO in April that reduced its market share. However, the bank anticipates these negative factors will fade as digital asset prices recover and the protocol moves past the security incident. With an October 2025 deposit base of approximately $75 billion, Aave already possesses a scale comparable to the 30th-largest U.S. bank. Standard Chartered projects that tokenized assets will increasingly serve as collateral and liquidity sources within DeFi, further driving growth. This analysis extends the bank's broader thesis that total value locked in DeFi could reach $2.7 trillion by 2030, with Aave serving as a primary venue for borrowing against tokenized assets.
StanChart backed Libeara raises $14m from GSR, Kyobo Life, others for tokenization
Libeara, a tokenization platform incubated by Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures, has successfully closed a $14 million strategic funding round led by global market maker GSR. Additional participants in this round include Openspace Capital, Kyobo Life Insurance Group, AlloyX, Kaia Investment Partners, Simsan Ventures, and Monk’s Hill Ventures. The Singapore-based firm intends to utilize these funds to accelerate the global expansion of its tokenization infrastructure. This development follows Libeara’s acquisition of a Capital Markets Services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore in March, which grants the company the authority to distribute tokenized funds and securities independently. To date, the platform has facilitated over $1 billion in tokenized assets across various fund relationships. The involvement of Kyobo Life Insurance Group highlights the growing institutional interest in tokenization, particularly within the South Korean market. This funding round underscores the increasing maturity of the RWA sector as platforms move toward direct distribution models and broader international integration.
StanChart says Ethereum price will catch up to bullish internal metrics
Standard Chartered has reaffirmed its bullish price targets for Ether, projecting $4,000 by the end of 2026 and $40,000 by 2030, despite ETH trading 57% below its 2025 peak. The bank argues that Ethereum's internal network metrics, such as transaction counts and total value locked, remain near record levels, suggesting a disconnect between fundamental usage and current market price. This analysis highlights Ethereum's critical role as the primary settlement layer for stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, which are projected to see massive growth by 2028. While some analysts compare this price slump to Amazon during the dot-com era, others note that Ethereum currently lacks a strong narrative and clear value accrual mechanisms for ETH holders. The market faces headwinds from persistent outflows in U.S. spot ETH exchange-traded funds and a broader trend where Bitcoin momentum dominates price variation. Despite these challenges, institutional interest in tokenization and artificial intelligence-powered agents continues to support long-term optimism among some major market participants. The ongoing debate centers on whether Ethereum's dominance in onchain assets will eventually translate into superior returns for the underlying ETH token.
Tokenization could push DeFi assets to $2.7T by 2030: Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered projects that assets locked in decentralized finance will expand 37-fold to reach $2.7 trillion by 2030. This growth is expected to be fueled by the integration of tokenized real-world assets and crypto-native assets into onchain protocols. Currently, only 3% of stablecoins and 10% of tokenized RWAs are utilized within DeFi, but the bank anticipates this share will rise to 30% by the end of the decade. Geoff Kendrick, head of digital assets research, identifies DeFi protocols as a primary driver for future generational wealth in the digital asset space. While the bank previously forecasted non-stablecoin tokenized RWAs to hit $2 trillion by 2028, achieving the $2.7 trillion DeFi target requires a ninefold increase in the proportion of tokenized value deployed onchain. The report highlights Uniswap as a potential key trading venue for these assets due to its established scale and reliability. However, industry experts caution that tokenization alone does not guarantee liquidity, noting that fragmented blockchain formats could lead to siloed markets and pricing inefficiencies.