StanChart launches bitcoin, ether spot trading for institutional clients

Standard Chartered has introduced spot trading for bitcoin and ether through its UK branch for institutional clients to cater to rising demand for crypto assets.

The UK-headquartered bank said on Tuesday it is the first global systemically important bank to offer secure, regulated and scalable access to bitcoin and ether deliverable spot trading.

Institutional clients, including corporates, investors and asset managers, can now trade digital assets through familiar FX interfaces, and will soon be offered non-deliverable forwards trading, StanChart said in a statement.

"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," Chief Executive Bill Winters said in the statement.