Standard Chartered forecasts assets locked in decentralized finance will reach $2.7 trillion by 2030, driven by tokenization and crypto-native growth. Standard Chartered expects assets locked in decentralized finance (DeFi) to grow 37-fold to $2.7 trillion by the end of 2030. The expansion would be driven by both tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and crypto-native assets moving through onchain protocols, Geoff Kendrick, head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered, said in a research note on Monday. “I think the next opportunity for generational wealth in digital assets is going to come via the DeFi protocols,” Kendrick said. “I estimate that the amount of tokenized assets active in DeFi will 37x by the end of 2030.” Read more
Standard Chartered will absorb Zodia Custody’s regulated crypto business and spin out Zodia Solutions, as big banks move to own core digital asset custody in-house. Standard Chartered has announced that its offer to acquire the business of Zodia Custody has been accepted by shareholders. The deal, announced Monday, will consolidate Standard Chartered’s digital asset custody operations while separating a standalone infrastructure platform for institutional clients. Zodia Solutions will be established as an independent entity under SC Ventures, backed by several banking investors, including existing Zodia Custody shareholders, and will provide “bank-grade infrastructure” to financial institutions, including Standard Chartered, as they expand digital asset services. Read more
Standard Chartered is reportedly exploring a shake-up of Zodia Custody that would bring parts of the crypto custodian inside its own investment bank. Standard Chartered is reportedly weighing a restructuring of its majority-owned crypto custodian Zodia Custody, as large banks look to bring more digital asset infrastructure inside their core banking operations. The United Kingdom-based lender plans to fold Zodia’s crypto custody business into a division inside its corporate and investment bank that already offers similar services, while keeping Zodia operating as a standalone Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for digital asset custody, according to Bloomberg on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. An announcement on the restructuring could reportedly come as soon as this month. It is not yet clear whether Standard Chartered has opened negotiations with Zodia’s minority shareholders, which include Northern Trust, Emirates NBD, National Australia Bank and SBI Holdings. Read more
Stablecoin turnover has doubled in the past two years as AI payments and traditional finance use cases grow, though Standard Chartered still sees the market reaching $2 trillion. Standard Chartered analysts say rising stablecoin velocity could reduce the need for new token supply even as transaction volumes climb. Stablecoin velocity has doubled over the past two years amid new payment use cases and rising traditional finance (TradFi) activity, Standard Chartered said in a Tuesday report seen by Cointelegraph. Velocity refers to how often stablecoins are used relative to the amount outstanding, meaning faster turnover can support more transaction volume without requiring the supply to grow at the same pace. Read more
Hana Financial Group will collaborate with Standard Chartered on digital assets following its stablecoin partnership with USDC issuer Circle earlier in March. Hana Financial Group, one of South Korea’s largest financial conglomerates, has partnered with Standard Chartered on finance and digital assets. On Sunday, Hana Financial said it signed a business agreement with the United Kingdom’s Standard Chartered Group (SC Group) for cooperation in global financial business and digital asset fields, Yonhap News reported. The agreement covers collaboration in various global financial sectors, including investment banking, money markets, foreign exchange and digital assets. Read more
Hong Kong is set to issue its first stablecoin issuer licenses, with HSBC and Standard Chartered likely among a “very small number” of initially approved issuers, local media reported. HSBC Holdings and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered are reportedly set to become the first authorized stablecoin issuers in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is expected to issue stablecoin licenses to HSBC and Standard Chartered, the South China Morning Post reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. HSBC and Standard Chartered are set to be in the first batch as authorities reportedly prioritize institutions already authorized to issue banknotes in the city. The Hong Kong government, through the HKMA, authorizes banknote issuance to three commercial banks, including local branches of HSBC, Standard Chartered and the Bank of China. Read more
Standard Chartered slashed its forecast for T-bill demand from stablecoins to $800 billion to $1 trillion by 2028, but maintained its $2 trillion stablecoin market call. Standard Chartered analysts stuck to their forecast that the stablecoin market will reach $2 trillion by late 2028, despite lowering expectations for short-term US Treasury bill demand. Stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) are expected to push T-bill demand to $2.2 trillion by 2028, Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick and US rates strategist John Davies said in a Monday report shared with Cointelegraph. Despite the US dollar stablecoin market cap stalling at around $300 billion in recent months amid a broader crypto downturn, the analysts remain bullish since the passage of the US GENIUS Act in 2025. Read more
US spot Bitcoin ETFs are on track for a fourth consecutive week of losses as Standard Chartered cut its 2026 Bitcoin target to $100,000. US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw heightened selling on Thursday, with outflows accelerating the same day Standard Chartered lowered its 2026 Bitcoin forecast. Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs recorded $410.4 million in outflows, extending weekly losses to $375.1 million, according to SoSoValue data. Unless Friday brings substantial inflows, the funds are on track for a fourth consecutive week of losses, with assets under management (AUM) nearing $80 billion, down from a peak of almost $170 billion in October 2025. Read more
Stablecoin growth could drain bank deposits, with regional US banks most exposed, Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick warned. Stablecoins pose a real risk to bank deposits both globally and in the United States, according to a new report by Standard Chartered analysts. The delay of the US CLARITY Act — a bill proposing to prohibit interest on stablecoin holdings — is a “reminder that stablecoins pose a risk to banks,” Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered, said in a report on Tuesday seen by Cointelegraph. “We estimate that US bank deposits will decrease by one-third of stablecoin market cap,” the analyst said, referring to a $301.4 billion market of US dollar-pegged stablecoins, as measured by CoinGecko. Read more
Standard Chartered is reportedly developing a crypto prime brokerage platform as traditional banks expand digital asset services. Standard Chartered may develop a crypto prime brokerage platform, a potential expansion of the bank’s digital asset ambitions as traditional financial institutions deepen their involvement in the sector. The British multinational bank is in early-stage discussions to establish a crypto trading and prime brokerage platform under its venture capital arm, SC Ventures, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing unidentified sources. A timeline for a launch has not been finalized. Standard Chartered has yet to confirm the plans. In July 2025, Standard Chartered launched trading services enabling institutions and corporations to trade the leading cryptocurrencies. Read more