City’s Most Unlikely Duo: Global Bank Courts Crypto Whizz—Here’s What Went Down!

by

It was a delectable morning in the digital finance world, the sort of day when the very mention of “cryptocurrency” causes monocles to tumble into teacups across Mayfair. At the centre of this convivial hullabaloo: FalconX—prime brokerage of digital coinage leanings—announcing it had clasped hands in holy partnership with none other than Standard Chartered, the grande dame of global banking (and purveyor of very sensible ties).

What-Ho! FalconX Rubs Shoulders with Bank Royalty

The giddy scheme involves FalconX taking Standard Chartered’s well-oiled banking wizardry and splicing it with their own shiny crypto gadgetry—like adding an engine from a Rolls-Royce to your Aunt Agatha’s sedan chair. “Streamlined access” for institutional investors is the order of the day, and we’re all invited. It’s the first time FalconX has thrown its lot in with a bank that doesn’t keep its assets in a biscuit tin, and if that doesn’t whet your appetite, I’ll eat my bowler.

Singapore gets the first nibble at this curiously tempting pudding, but fear not! Plans are afoot to expand to other locales—The Middle East, America—the whole map, really, bar perhaps Siberia and the local cricket club.

Pushing Open the Gilded Crypto Doors

This merry joining of forces is perfectly timed to the backdrop of regulators finally making sense (ish), and the US giving a thumbs-up to spot Bitcoin ETFs. There’s so much institutional interest, a chap barely has room to swing a ledger.

Matt Long, General Manager for APAC & Middle East at FalconX (a man who clearly gets invited to all the good parties), had this to say:

“We are pleased to partner with Standard Chartered, one of the most forward-thinking global banks in digital asset adoption. At FalconX, we support trading and financing for some of the world’s largest institutions in digital asset markets, and this relationship strengthens our ability to deliver robust banking and FX solutions to clients who rely on us to operate in crypto markets.”

One imagines this was followed by a hearty handshake and at least one celebratory custard tart.

Standard Chartered: The Bank That Would Be King (of Crypto)

Not to be outdone, Standard Chartered has been dabbling in the delights of digital dosh for years. The bank expects digital assets could be worth a cool $10 trillion by 2026—enough to make even your bookie envious.

In the last two shakes of a banker’s umbrella, Standard Chartered has started crypto custody in the UAE, flung open a digital asset shop in the EU, and even tiptoed onto the dancefloor with OKX, offering institutions the chance to post digital assets as collateral. 2023 saw them launching trading desks for Bitcoin and Ethereum, much to the consternation of rivals still struggling to spell “blockchain.”

Luke Boland, Head of Fintech for ASEAN, South Asia & GCNA (try saying that thrice with a martini in hand), piped up:

“Our collaboration with FalconX underscores our commitment to advancing the digital asset ecosystem. As institutional demand for digital assets continues to grow, we’re proud to provide the banking infrastructure that enables firms like FalconX to deliver world-class trading and financing solutions to institutional clients.”

Those are some stirring words, and rumour has it a standing ovation broke out in the stationary cupboard.

The Market—By Jove, It’s Booming! 🚀

This delightful alliance is part of a grander shift—with institutional types flocking to crypto thanks to friendly regulatory tea-leaves and changing moods. The market itself even flirted with a heart-stopping $3 trillion cap in November, especially after Donald Trump, crypto’s most unexpected pin-up, returned to the US presidency; the whole sector promptly developed delusions of grandeur.

One thing’s certain: in the realm of banking and crypto, things are never dull. And somewhere, your uncle who still hides cash under his mattress just spat out his Ovaltine in surprise. 🥳

Read More

2025-05-14 20:12