Standard Chartered Unveils Upcoming Digital Asset Offerings
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited reaffirmed its position as a leading force in financial innovation during Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 (HKFTW25), unveiling an ambitious lineup of upcoming digital asset offerings designed to accelerate the city’s evolution as a global fintech hub. Participating as a strategic partner at this year’s event, the bank showcased its plans to deepen its presence across the digital asset value chain — from tokenisation and Web3 to AI and open banking.
The announcement comes as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched its landmark “Fintech 2030” roadmap, outlining the city’s next decade of innovation under four strategic pillars. At a keynote panel titled “Sustaining Excellence: Hong Kong’s Role in the Future of International Financial Centres”, Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered, highlighted Hong Kong’s unique strengths as a regulated yet agile environment for digital finance.
“The future of banking lies in leveraging fintech to deliver services that meet the needs of a hyper-connected world,” said Mary Huen, CEO for Hong Kong, Greater China & North Asia. “With digital assets now a permanent feature of the global financial system, Standard Chartered is committed to providing innovative, secure, and scalable answers that empower clients and drive ecosystem growth.”
Takeaway
New Digital Asset Custody and Tokenisation Services Set for 2026 Launch
Among the key announcements was the planned introduction of market-first in Hong Kong, supporting BTC and ETH — the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation. Slated for launch in January 2026, these services will extend the in Luxembourg and the UAE, providing clients with institution-grade storage and security for crypto assets under a regulated framework.
This expansion represents a major milestone in Standard Chartered’s effort to create a global, interoperable network for digital assets custody. The initiative is part of the bank’s broader strategy to blockchain-based ecosystems while ensuring full compliance with international regulatory standards.
In addition to custody, Standard Chartered is building a portfolio of strategic partnerships with industry leaders to advance digital asset adoption across both retail and institutional markets. These collaborations aim to enhance transparency, liquidity, and accessibility — establishing Hong Kong as a critical node in the global digital asset economy.
Takeaway
Driving Innovation Through Collaboration and Regulatory Engagement
Standard Chartered continues to play an active role in shaping Hong Kong’s digital finance ecosystem through its participation in key HKMA-led initiatives. These include Project Ensemble, Project mBridge, the e-HKD Pilot Programme, GenA.I. Sandbox, and the Supervisory Incubator for Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) — all aimed at advancing interoperability, tokenisation, and next-generation banking capabilities.
At HKFTW25, the bank also hosted a series of sessions exploring the intersection of tokenisation, Web3 development, generative AI, and open banking. Its exhibition booth, themed “Experience Digital Assets the Standard Chartered Way”, featured interactive showcases and live demonstrations, allowing visitors to explore the bank’s vision for the future of finance firsthand.
“We view tremendous opportunity in the convergence of AI, tokenisation, and digital currencies,” said Huen. “Through our partnerships and ongoing engagement with the HKMA, we’re working to build the infrastructure that supports sustainable growth, innovation, and financial inclusion in ecosystem.”
Takeaway
